Little Lioness
by Darth Mongoose
Summary: Ellone Raine Leonhart, fourteen year old daughter of Squall....Like father like daughter?
1. Balamb Garden

Little Lioness  
A Final Fantasy VIII fanfic by Kate Holden (Darth Mongoose) 

Oh yeah, locations and characters are all property of Squaresoft....Is property the right word? Anyway, basically most of these characters weren't my idea.

Chapter 1: Balamb Garden.

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"Ellone Leonhart, are you even listening to me?"  
"Yes instructor."  
"Sometimes I wonder, if talking to you is more, or less beneficial than speaking to a wall."

Ellone didn't speak. She waited for the instructor to continue. She had found that if you stood around long enough they would tire of trying to make you listen and give up.

"At least give me some sign that we're on the same planet!"  
"Instuctor Trepe. I am listening."

Quistis sighed and sat on her desk. The girl was impossible. Utterly impossible. She was as cold and reticent as Squall and gifted with his intelligence, but had her mother's stubborness and that same rebellious streak. More annoyingly she was technically the best student in the whole Garden, at just fourteen she was skillful enough to become a SeeD. But Quistis wasn't sending her for her exam, not yet. Not until the girl had some grasp of how to treat other people.  
It was difficult to make eye contact with Ellone, she rarely bothered to look at people, but when she did she seemed to study them thoughroughly, her eyes were sharp and blue like her father's and she shared his straight nose and hawk brow, but with Rinoa's soft mouth, when she was younger and had smiled often she had been a pretty little girl. Quistis wondered what had gone wrong. Was it having famous parents that bothered her?

She looked at the girl, wishing that she could see what was going on in the head behind that thick dark brown mop of hair, which was generally all she saw of Ellone, who was small in stature like her mother. Are you all alone?

('Great. My instructor has gone into a trance. And there I was thinking she'd just give me a quick lecture...')

"Instructor?"

Quistis shook her head and blinked, coming out of her reverie.

"Oh. Ellone, I'm sorry... I expect you need to go now don't you?"

"Yes." Said Ellone simply. And began to walk towards the door.

"Ellone."

('What does she want now?')

"If you're lonely, you can always talk to somebody."

('Like that's gonna help.')

"And Ellone...Please, wear your uniform."

"Yes Instructor."

Quistis watched the door slide open. She knew that the girl wouldn't wear her uniform. She never did. She dressed in anything black and baggy, she hated attention, and more than anything hated to be called pretty. Quistis could guess why. If somebody said Ellone was pretty, it was normally followed up by "just like your mother." A statement that summed up everything the young cadet hated about living in her parents' shadow.

On the other side of the door, Ellone, not looking where she was going, almost crashed into somebody. Somebody who had been waiting for her.

"Hmm. That's a new record for instructor Trepe. Kept you in the room for seven and a half minutes. Was it the usual?"

"Wear my uniform." Growled Ellone, stepping backwards and looking up. The figure was tall, slender and femenine, slightly better developed than most fourteen year olds, and well above average height. An onlooker would have thought her much older than her small, bony companion, but looking into her face, there was a childish innocence about her large green eyes and wide smile that showed her fourteen years. Sylvie Kinneas had famous parents too. Famous for the same reason as Ellone's, though not quite so well known. Sylvie was quietly confident, optimistic, intellegent and always enthusiastic, sometimes overly so.

"Well, maybe you should wear your uniform for once. Just as a favour for instructor Trepe?"

"I'm no Trepie. And I'm not wearing that stupid little dress." Ellone began to stalk down the corridor, with Sylvie in tow.

"But you'd look so cute!" Sylvie giggled and tried to plait the smaller Cadet's thick dark hair, but was shaken off.

"I don't want to look "cute," I want to be a SeeD."

"And you'll never be one with an attitude like that." Sylvie hopped into the lift next to Ellone. "Instructor Trepe knows you're ready for the exam. All you need to do is show her that you can cope with people."

"I can cope with people, so long as they don't get in my way."

"By 'getting in the way' do you mean talking about your parents?"

Ellone stared at the doors as they opened and walked out of the lift.

"I have the same problem you know?" She added.

"...I know."

"But I still don't think I understand you. Is it what you're expected to be that worries you?"

"I'm not 'worried' about anything. I'm concerned that I may spend my entire life being called 'Squall Leonhart's Daughter' I'm even named after the famous sorceress Ellone. I want people to appreciate me without always associating me with my family." She paused and fingered the hilt of her Shear Trigger gunblade. "Sometimes I wish there was a war on. Then I could prove myself."

"Be careful what you wish for Ella. Besides, there's still Timber's independence to sort out."

"Like that's ever going to happen. My mother has spent the past fifteen years trying to sort that out. Galbadia just won't let go."

Sylvie smiled, it was strange, for them diplomatic negotiations, wars and the press were always close. They weren't like normal children, pretending to be Squall Leonhart, they knew him so well that it was difficult to see him as a legend, he was a small, fine boned man with neat brown hair and a soft pink scar across the bridge of his nose. And quiet, there was nothing harsh, wild or frightening there, and he never shouted. But there was a strange power in his well muscled arms and bright eyes that reminded her of just what he was capable of. 

Ellone looked at the decorations strewn around the main hall. She never said it aloud, but she really loved the Garden Festival, everybody forgot about training and rank for a week, and there were presents and music, and the little ones put on a play of "Squall and the sorceresses" which was always amusing. The Garden Festival was a time of such happiness and general goodwill, and Ellone knew that only her favourite instructor could have come up with such a great idea. Instructor Kinneas was the 'Kinder Garden' teacher, and Sylvie's mother. She was the sort of instructor who on sunny days would throw away the training syllabus and take the kids out on a picnic. What five year old wanted to learn advanced espionage tactics? Finger painting and singing songs were much more fun.

She grinned to herself on spotting the small woman up a stepladder arranging banners, dressed in dungarees and a bright yellow t-shirt.

"Irvy! Is this banner straight?"

"As straight as Squall's head my love!" Replied Mister Kinneas. Selphie laughed and nudged his head with her foot. "Well it is!"

"There! ....Well, I guess it's straight enough." She sighed. The banner was the tiniest bit crooked, not really noticable at all, but Selphie was a perfectionist. She stared at it for a moment, then gave in and unfolded the ladder again.

"Mum! Let me do it!" Sylvie strode over to the banner and straightened it. "You should have told me you were doing decorations already, you wouldn't need to get those ladders out."

"Hmm. Well, I thought your father could help me do it, but he just can't get things straight!" She folded the ladder again and stood up.

"Ella! I've been looking for you!"

"Oh?"

"Yes, we're short on actors for the play this year."

Ellone's brow furrowed as she counted off the parts needed.

"There are enough children in the Kinder Garden. I'm sure of it."

"Oh no! Not for that one! The older kids are doing a play too this year!"

"Really? What of?"

"We're doing the story of the second sorceress war, but a proper version."

"Proper Version?" Questionned Ellone. She had always thought that the one she saw every year was the the proper version.

"Well, you see, "Squall and the Sorceresses" was a play written by Julian Skirk, who never actually witnessed any of the events that happened...So I wrote my own version using excerpts from my journal, all the conversations are quoted verbatum. Here's the script. Read it through, we really need a good Rinoa."

Ellone scowled. Normally the sort of girls who played Rinoa in the play were bossy, forceful and thought they were more beautiful than they really were, and threw themselves at the role with melodramatic fervor. Sylvie could tell just by looking that Ellone was thinking of refusal. But then, she also knew that her mother was probably the only person in Garden who could convince her to do anything.

"......I'll have a look at the script." Said Ellone with a nod, and sauntered off towards the dorms.

"Mum? I want to know your secret. And I think you should tell Instructor Trepe too." Said Sylvie.


	2. The Lioness becomes an Angel

Chapter 2: The Lioness becomes an Angel

It's all Squaresoft's material folks! Mmmm....Squaresoft...gaaaahhhh....

Anyway, many thanks to those people who reviewed chapter one. I appologise for how short it was, but in my opinion a fic should ease you in with a nice easy first chapter so as not to let the readers get bogged down very early on. And now, we go back to my favourite little anti-heroine!

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Ellone re-read the script for the third time. It couldn't possibly be true could it? The dialogue was full of cruel little jokes, Squall spent most of the play just saying "...Whatever." and more amazingly instructor Trepe kept flirting with people! The difference that she found most pleasing was the personality of the young Rinoa, who unlike the version from the original play was not perfect, didn't make beautiful long speeches and seemed to get angry at Squall in a way that Ellone found extremely satisfying. In fact Rinoa struck her to be a cheerful, but bossy girl, who had joined the resistance merely to spite her father and was unrealistically convinced that she could change the world, though she was actually was terrified of getting caught up in anything really big.

('She's insecure, immature, forceful and gets in a strop whenever anybody questions her plans...Some angel...But then, she brings out the best in people doesn't she?')

The SeeD cadet rolled up the script and left her dorm, crashing into Sylvie for the second time that day.

"What is it with you and standing in doorways!?"

"You should look where you're going. Are you going to do it?"

Ellone blinked and took a step backwards.

"C'mon! C'moooon! You have to do it! do it! do it! do it! do it! do i-"

"I'm going to play the part."

"-t! do it! d- Huh? Really!? Really really?"

"Yes. But only if you shut up."

"Thankyou! Thankyou! Thankyou! Th-"

"I said shut up."

"....Right, sorry...." Sylvie paused, fidgeting. "So, you want to get your costume ready?"

"I guess so."

"Right! lets go then!" Ellone found herself being dragged down the coridoor by her arm. She had to trot in a somewhat undignified way to keep up with Sylvie's huge strides, and was unable to wrench her arm free of the tall girl's iron grip. She was jammed into the elevator, and took a moment to rest, leaning against the wall, before they arrived on the third floor and she was dragged into the staffroom.

"She's going to do it!" Called Sylvie. She let go of Ellone's arm, and the girl stood in the middle of the room feeling self concious as all of the Garden staff looked at her. 

('If I knew it'd be all this trouble I'd never have agreed to be in this stupid play. But I can't go back on my word now.')

"She looks very keen." Observed Instructor Trepe dryly.

"Do we have a costume sorted out yet?" Asked Sylvie.

"Uh huh!" Answered Instructor Kinneas, "Good job Rinoa keeps all her old clothes huh? Ella looks about the same size."

('And now they're all gonna dress me up like a princess...What fun.') Ellone waited for the pretty dress and the blue cape. That was what Rinoa always wore in the plays wasn't it? She watched as Selphie opened a box and pulled out a set of clothes, laying them on the floor as an outfit. Army boots, a long blue woolen cardigan, black shorts, a blue denim skirt and a black vest, a length of black ribbon and two blue wool cuffs, one with straps to attach a pinwheel launcher. ('That's it? that's what she really wore?')

"What? You were expecting a pretty dress?" Said Selphie, noticing her expression.

"I was contemplating the horrors of a pretty dress."

"Is it okay? Do you like it?"

"I'll wear it."

"WOOHOO!" Everybody in the room simultaniously mimicked Instructor Kinneas' famous catchphrase.

"Well, try it on." Said Instructor Trepe, shoving her behind a screen. She was enjoying this. Just like old times having a go at Squall, but somehow more amusing, it was like trying to make Squall into Rinoa. "Does it fit?"

Ellone pulled on the vest. It was black at least, but very figure hugging and femenine, then the shorts and skirt, it wasn't a perfect fit, Rinoa had been older that Ellone was now when she had worn these clothes. She took a moment to work out precisely how to put the cardigan on and noticed the white angel wings on the back, which made it easier to tell which way up it went. The black ribbon was no mystery, her mother always wore a black ribbon around her arm, in mourning for her own mother's death. Finally she put on the boots. A size too big. She put her own black boots back on, they were similar anyway.

"C'mon Ella! The suspense is killing us!"

"...Whatever."

She stood up. More of her legs was on show than she would have liked.

('But I'm not being me am I? When I'm wearing this, I'm being Rinoa Heartily.') she reminded herself as she walked out from behind the screen.

"Woah!" Yelled Irvine. "She looks just like..."

"Well well. It is possible then." laughed Quisits.

Selphie looked critical, and walked around Ellone to look from all angles.

"Hair needs doing. And we need some brown contacts" She said simply. "Otherwise....perfect."

('Do I really look that much like her? Really?')

Ellone caught a mirror at the edge of her vision and faced it.

('So...that's how the famous Rinoa Heartily dressed.') She thought of her mother's diplomatic suits and smart SeeD uniform that she always seemed to wear now when she visited the Garden, less frequently than she would have liked. ('doesn't seem like her at all. But I guess she's grown up since then.') 

"Did you read the script?"

"Yeah, pretty unbelievable. can't imagine Dad telling Instructor Trepe to "go talk to a wall." It seems so cruel of him."

"Well he was. Before he met Rinoa he was one of the most moody, introverted, proud, reclusive and overly serious people you could ever hope to avoid having to teach."

"He was really like that?" ('Is that what I'm like?')

"We all had our faults, we're called 'heroes' because of what we did, not who we were. We were just kids really, I was far too young to be an instructor."

('And mother was too young to be a sorceress. They both had to grow into their adult selves. What am I going to become?') She glanced at her reflection again, ('Am I expected to follow her? Become the next sorceress?')

"So who's playing who at the moment?" Asked Irvine.

"Well," Said Selphie, "Ellone is Rinoa, Sylvie is Edea, Tseng Dincht is Siefer, Genji Dincht is Zell, Kimi Dincht is Me..."

('Hmm, an entire compliment of Dinchts, promises to be an energetic production if nothing else.')

"Kelli Almasy is Quisits and Nida Cyan Junior is Irvine. The minor parts aren't decided yet, but that's how the major ones are looking."

"What about Squall? Who's playing him?"

"....Simeon Rego."

"Who?"

"You know, that new boy from class? Smallish, brown hair?"

"Oh, him." ('I have only the very vaguest idea who this guy is.') "Trabian boy right?"

"Right." Sylvie paused, "You can put your normal clothes back on now, unless, that is, you're comfortable like that."

('Guess I am comfortable, I'd forgotten I wasn't dressed normally. These clothes are kind of...nice.... Nice? What a lame word to use.')

"...I'll get changed."

Quistis watched with interest. She had seemed almost reluctant to change out of Rinoa's clothing. Perhaps reading the play had changed Ellone's opinion of her mother.

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Ellone spent her evening in the Training area, as she often did. The monsters weren't as tough as they had once been, due to the Garden banning use of GF due to the memory problems they caused, the monsters in the training area had become too strong for all but the toughest SeeD's to handle. So now there were no T-rexaurs, and less grats, balanced out with more bite bugs, Geezards and Glacial eyes.

The gunblade sliced through the creatures neatly, but it was still hard work. Ellone was sweating and had to sit down in the 'safe zone,' the former 'secret area' to rest.

"You're very good. I've never seen anybody use a gunblade like that before."

Ellone glanced up. It was that Simeon boy. She didn't say anything.

"...I'm Simeon Rego, you're Ellone Leonhart aren't you? We're going to be in the play together aren't we?"

"Yes."

"You don't look like a Rinoa to me."

('What does he mean by that?')

"Uh. Ah, what I mean is, normally you know, girls who play Rinoa are always..."

"...Bossy 'little princess' types with no acting skill?"

"Yeah! The sort of girls who tapdance, and sing songs from musicals at village fetes."

Ellone almost smiled. ('I could get to like this guy...maybe.')

"Shame you can't play Squall, I barely know how to hold a gunblade, let alone look as if I know what I'm doing with one."

"Neither do the audience, just wave it around and they'll all think you're wonderfully skilled."

"Do you think you could show me anyway? If you feel like fighting". He brought out a revolver gunblade, it was old and scarred, but had clearly been well cared for. "I've been trying to learn for a long time." He said, "My father gave me this gunblade, he's a SeeD from Trabia."

('He talks too much. But he's kind of charming.')

"Do you want me to show you the basics on some monsters?"

"Yes please, if you would."

('He's very polite. Typical Trabian, like Instructor Kinneas.They're such cheerful people.')

Ellone stood up and left the small metal balcony into the warm, humid environment of the Training center.

"First go into a fighting stance. Make sure your weight is slightly more on your front leg, and make sure that leg is bent. Hold the gunblade in front of you. Some people hold it with one hand, but I can't do that, it's too heavy, besides, You're mimiking Squall Leonhart, he holds his blade in both hands."

"You call your father 'Squall Leonhart'? Why don't you call him 'Dad'?"

"....Around other people it makes me feel uncomfortable."

"I'm sorry. I'm really bad at saying the wrong thing and then I get nervous, and I talk when I'm nervous."

('At least he doesn't get leg cramps like Grandad.')

"Let's just continue. There! See that Glacial Eye? We're gonna kill it."

"...Okay."

"Combat stance. Bend your front knee or you'll injure yourself! good. Run forward and strike downwards at it. Pull the trigger just as you strike."

"Combat stance, run forward, strike downwards, pull the trigger just as I strike." Simeon charged forward "Yaaah!" BLAM!

('He pulled the trigger too early.')

Simeon stood barely a foot away from the monster. He had left a rather jagged gash in it's body, but it was still floating.

"Uh, Ellone! what do I do now?"

"Run back here you idiot!" 

Simeon leapt backwards with a look of terror, though whether it was the explosion, the monster or the look on Ellone's face that worried him was debatable.

"Watch me." She said flatly.

Ellone darted forwards with a graceful run and jump, then brought her blade down heavily BOOM! The Glacial eye was blown back by the impact, and as Ellone returned to Simeon it fell to the floor. She smiled with satisfaction and twirled her weapon around in celebration.

"That was amazing! I mean, I guess it's in your blood and all, but that was incredible!"

('In my blood? In-my-blood? He thinks nothing of the fact that I've spent nine years training with this thing? He thinks I can use a gunblade just because I'm 'Squall Leonhart's daughter?')

"You're wrong." She said, and walked away into the jungle.

"What did I say wrong?" Simeon pleaded to thin air.


	3. Giving her a break

Chapter 3: Giving her a break.

This story is entirely based around characters, places and events from Squaresoft's wonderful games. Very little is mine, so don't give me too much credit.

I'm sick of stories with nice, lovely, perfect heroines. I prefer to create female characters with plenty of character flaws, like my favourite characters in stories, Susan Sto Helit, Magrat Garlik and Granny Weatherwax from Terry Pratchett's Discworld, Lyra Silvertongue from Phillip Pullman's Dark Materials Trilogy, and, of course, Hermione Granger From JK Rowling's Harry Potter books. And from such heroines is born Ellone. Don't think of her as a bitch, more as a realistically imperfect human being.

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Ellone sat alone in her dorm. She couldn't sleep. She had always been troubled by bad dreams, as long as she could remember, well, not bad exactly, just strange and sometimes a little frightening. But this dream had been bad, it had been terrifying. It was a small mercy that she couldn't remember the dream itself so well, but the emotion lingered, a feeling of loneliness and desolation...and darkness.

She slipped off the bed and picked up her gunblade, cradling it. She wished her parents were around. They were always off somewhere, on diplomatic missions and trying to get funding for Garden.

('This is so stupid, I'm shaking. Scared of a nightmare, like a little kid....But I am a kid, I'm only fourteen, I want my mum. I don't want to be alone, I want somebody to hug me and say the monsters aren't real.')

She checked the clock. Five am. She wouldn't be able to go to sleep again now, and besides, she'd wake up in a couple of hours anyway. She changed into her clothes, stuffing her pyjamas into a drawer. And buckled on her gunblade belt. The Garden was very quiet, Ellone listened to the soothing sounds of the fountains as she walked. She noticed a lone figure was sat on a bench. Staring, lost in thought.

('So, I guess you're all alone too Instructor Trepe.')

Ellone's first though was to walk past, leave her too it, it wasn't her problem. But some little ember of compassion flickered.

('Remember when you were little? Instructor Trepe was always there for you then.')

"Instructor?" ('She's the closest person I have in this place to my mother')

"E-Ellone?" Quistis' head snapped up and her thoughtful blue eyes looked straight into Ellone's face. "Why are you awake so early?"

"I had a bad dream." 

"Was it the usual?"

"What do you mean?"

"When you were very small, you used to always tell me about this nightmare you had, where you were all alone in the dark. You still have it?"

"Yes. I've been having it more frequently lately." Ellone sat down on the bench.

"You always used to forget the dream. Does that still happen?"

"I never remember exactly what happens, it's always slightly different. I was holding my gunblade this time, and a voice I didn't know called to me, I can't remember what it said, but it scared me, and I held up the gunblade, but it dissappeared. Dissolved into white feathers that fled from my hand. Then somebody...Somebody I know, or knew that I had once known came out of the darkness and they plunged their hand into my chest and... I woke up." Ellone's hand touched the centre of her chest for a moment as she drew breath, shaking again.

Quistis was silent for a moment. When Rinoa had become a sorceress, she had been plagued with frightening dreams. And Matron had mentioned once that sorceresses often had bad nightmares. Did the dreams even mean anything?

"You can't remember who the person in the dream was?"

"...No."

"Why did you talk to me? You don't usually..."

"I trust you...Maybe it was reading Instructor Kinneas' play that's changed how I look at people, but you're one of the few out there who doesn't treat me as an extention of my parents."

"Well, I've known you for a long time, and you are like them, but at the same time, you're not like them at all. I'm adept at understanding Squall, and I think Rinoa's easy to read once you get the hang of her. But every time I think I have you figured you do the last thing I expect."

"...Do you always analyse everything like that?"

"I like learning about people."

"No offence, but it's kinda...creepy. I hate people trying to understand me."

Quistis suddenly began to laugh.

"Then you really are like your father. All you need is to start doing this," She put a hand to her forehead and scowled, "and saying '...whatever' now."

('She's making fun of me? ...Actually, that is a really good impression of him') A ghost of a smile appeared on Ellone's face. 

"You see, but then you smile and I think you can't be Squall at all. I never thought you'd agree to be in Selphie's production."

"The part appealed to me."

"I find it quite amusing," Said Quistis, "That I'm being played by the daughter of the guy who was my worst enemy at the time."

"Kelli Almasy? She's not really anything like her father. She's pretty shy."

"Either that or she's terrified of seeming to be anything like he was in case people take it against her. I've heard she can be quite manipulative."

"She was a bully when she was younger. I hated her. But we've barely spoken since then, she's in different classes to me."

"That was my doing. I'm good at understanding people, I had a good idea of what was going on, and I think she realised that I did. But to be safe I made sure you two weren't together for anything."

('She cares about me more than I thought she did. She might actually care about me more than my parents do.')

"She seems quiet now." ('Too quiet?') "Anyway, I guess I should go change."

"What? Why?"

"I've got class this morning, and I'm not in uniform."

"You? Uni-? What?"

"This is just a one off by the way, as I owe you one. Don't expect this every day."

Quistis nodded dumbly as she watched Ellone walk briskly away.

"I'll believe it when I see it." She muttered.

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Sylvie checked the clock. She could spend twenty more blissful minutes in bed before she would have to force herself to get up and ready for class. She rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling, listening to the morning birdsong, not expecting the harsh and angry sound that was about to come from the next room.

"Gaaah! How do you put this friggin' thing on?! Sylvie! I know you're awake, so don't pretend you're not! Come and help me!"

Sylvie made a moody growling sound and levered her long legs out of the bed, padding around the partition that separated her room from Ellone's.

"What are you-?" She pulled a face and tilted her head on it's side, as if hoping that the image in front of her would make more sense upside down. Then she began to laugh, a laugh which quickly became a giggling fit that ceased up her whole body making her double up.

"It's not _that_ funny."

"I'm sorry, it's just that-" Another fit of giggles, "-you look so adorably sweet!"

Ellone scowled.

"So says captain pink bunny pyjamas."

"Hey, don't mess the pink bunnies, some day they will pounce on you and plait your hair! ...By the way, you've really not tied that necker properly."

"...That's why I called you through mastermind."

"See? Now you need captain bunny. I could be a super villain! 'Le Lapin Rose!' I will steal all your 'orrible black clothes and make you wear uniform aaaalll the time!"

"...You scare me sometimes."

Sylvie knotted the yellow necktie with a single deft movement.

"There. Now, I'm gonna get dressed, I expect a cup of tea for being woken up so early."

"You've been awake for half an hour anyway, you always do that thing where you set your alarm really early and then lie there thinking or whatever it is you do."

"It's good for you. You should spend some time after you wake up waking up, not leap straight out of bed when your alarm goes off."

"Sensible enough I guess. You want real tea or one of those wierd herbal fruit things you drink that smell wierd?"

"Just tea thanks."

Ellone made herself a cup too. She hadn't been a tea person until she'd been stuffed into a dorm with Sylvie. But she had come to appreciate it, few drinks were relaxing and stimulating at the same time like tea was, it was also pleasantly bland and warm, made her feel at home.

The uniform felt strange, her legs felt horribly exposed. ('A bit like that Rinoa costume') She thought. ('Sylvie's probably gonna tell me to dress like this every day now.') She poured the water into the mugs, ('She's not a bad person. She gets really excited about stuff. If I had to beat the sorceress like Dad did, I wouldn't mind if she was in my group.')

Sylvie came out fully dressed, and minus pink rabbits in any form. Her brown hair in a simple pony tail. She grabbed a seat at the small table that they shared.

"You were up very early this morning." She remarked.

"I had a bad dream, nothing special."

"Man, you and those dreams, you need a psychiatrist. Have you ever been to doctor Kadowaki about it?"

('As if Instructor Trepe analysing me isn't enough.')

"I don't need a doctor."

"Your choice." She blew on her tea and took a sip, "What's the lesson this morning?"

"Instructor Trepe, Negotiation."

"Dull. Guess I won't need my spear then."

"Depends if you're negotiating with somebody normal or with Genji Dincht."

"Yeah, I should get a pole to fend him off."

"And therin lies the fatal flaw of being 'cute'."

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The classroom was quiet when The two girls arrived. Only afew 'Trepies,' fans of Instructor Trepe, and of course Genji, who was early for lessons due to his disgusting overenthusiasm about everything. He wasn't hard to spot, though he wasn't overly tall, he had bright blonde hair that stuck straight upwards, an open face aith wide blue eyes and a tendancy to fidgit constantly. He spotted Ellone with a whoop of joy.

"Hey! Woah! You're like, wearing your uniform!"

('Go away Genji.')

"Heh hehhhh, and I thought Sylvie was the cutest in the class, you might just top my list."

('Eeewwww. I thought you were just a moron, don't make me think you're a creep too.') Ellone looked daggers at him.

"Hey chill, I was just kiddin'! ....So, what's with the uniform? I thought you hated it."

Ellone ignored him and went for her desk at the back of the room.

"Heh, guess you haven't changed so much after all."

('Ignoring, ignoring, ignoring....')

"You know, it looks kinda wierd, that little skirt with a big gunblade buckled to it."

('Ignoring, ignoring, ignoring....resisting urge to give him closer look at gunblade...')

"Good morning class." Instructor Trepe's eyes settled on Ellone for a second before she went about her register. After which she stood up and addressed them, "Today's lesson is normally negotiation, but since the Garden Festival is coming up I decided to do something more fun."

A small cheer went up from the class.

"So, you have a choice, those who want to take this as a free period may leave and do whatever they want, anybody who wants a suprise is to meet me in the Quad in fifteen minutes. Being in uniform isn't nescesary." She said the last part with a sly little smile.

('What!? I get all dressed up and I don't need to be in uniform? Dammit Instructor!')

Ellone was suprised to see that most people wanted to take a free rather than find out about the 'secret' in the Quad. Probably because they didn't think that Instructor Trepe had the same view of 'fun' as they did.

"Are you going to get changed now?" Asked Sylvie as they took the lift down.

"I'm tempted to stay like this, because otherwise it seems like a wasted effort. But we might end up fighting or something...I'm gonna change."

"I'll change too then."

Ten minutes later the two cadets entered the Quad together. Ellone in her habitual black jeans, t-shirt and jacket and Sylvie in a purple crop top and blue denim shorts worn with simple leather sandals and a light white shirt tied around her waist, and of course her telescopic aluminium spear hanging at her hip. The sun in the Quad was bright on the white and blue tiles, and quite dazzling. Ellone could just make out some figures in front of her. She shaded her eyes with a hand.

"Mum! Dad!" She dropped her hand and ran forward, "You're here!" She didn't know which one to run to first and could barely see anyway, so she collided into the both. It turned into a hug anyway, once they had all got their balance.

"I thought you would be in Timber for another week."

"There's been some progress in negotiations," Said Squall, "There's going to be a peace talk in a week's time. Until then, we have some time off for the Garden Festival." He ruffled her hair affectionately while her mother continued to hold her tightly.

Quistis smiled, she felt better when she saw Ellone with her parents, they weren't around as much as they ought to have been.

"Hey dudes! Sorry for being late an' all, but since I was in Garden I had to go to the Cafeteria to pick up one of those hot dogs! They just can't be beaten!"

"Zell! You made it!" Called Quistis.

"Hey, you didn't think I'd miss a big reunion did ya?" Zell Grinned. "Woah! Sylvie! You're taller every time I see you! You looking into a career in professional Basketball or what?"

"Hey Zell, you know my baby girl's gonna be a SeeD!" Irvine put his hand on Sylvie's shoulder. Then Selphie appeared from behind him.

"Heya guys! What do you think of the decorations?"

"Perfect as always Selphie." Rinoa almost had to shout over to growing sound of conversation. She released her tight grip on Ellone, but kept holding hands, unwilling to break contact with her daughter. "It's going to be another great Garden Festival."

Ellone smiled widely, she felt content. Her parents were with her, the sun was warm on her hair and a soft breeze was coming from the Balamb sea. She looked around her parents friends. Small Selphie with her very green eyes and wide smile. Irvine, dashing and tall in his long coat with a shotgun at his side. Quistis, dressed in her SeeD uniform and little round glasses, her blonde hair up in a bun. Zell, quite short and with a boyish face with a dark tattoo down one side a large grin and thick pale blonde hair. They were strange people, it was true, but all of them were heroes. She watched with some amusement as the few teenagers who had decided to come to the lesson stopped and stared in amazement.

('I guess they're used to Instructor Kinneas and Instructor Trepe, but Zell Dincht, and my parents as well, all in one place. Probably pretty overwhelming for them.')

"Mister Leonhart! I've always wanted to meet you! My name's Simeon Rego, I just transferred here from Trabia-"

"You're the one playing me in Selphie's play aren't you?"

Simeon nodded, suddenly overcome by shyness.

"I'm pleased to meet you Simeon."

Rinoa looked down at Ellone.

"Hey, I heard you were playing me, did the clothes I send fit okay?"

"A little bit big, but not bad. Is that what you were wearing when you defeated Ultimicia?"

"Yeah. But I stopped wearing those clothes after the victory celebration, too many memories, not all of them pleasant."

"It seemed that way in the script."

"Hmmm..." Rinoa looked far off for a moment, and her hand brushed her long black dress thoughtfully. Then suddenly she came back out of her thoughts, smiling. "Ellone, aren't you going to introduce your friends?"

"Uh...I think you know them all apart from Simeon."

"Who's that blonde girl over there?" Rinoa gestured discreetly towards a gaunt fourteen year old stood alone in the shade of a tree.

"That's Kelli Almasy." Replied Ellone, "We're not really close at all."

"Ohh, I thought I knew her from somewhere. Siefer and Fujin's little girl. I hear she has a brother, but he didn't want to come to Balamb Garden, he went to Galbadia instead."

('Interesting. Something to remember.')

"Well, I suppose I should show everybody what I wanted to share with them." She kissed Ellone's forehead and broke away, bringing a strange orb from her pocket. "Hey Guys! Can you all be quiet for a minute!" The people in the quad stopped their various conversations. "Thankyou." Rinoa stepped into the center of the group, who formed a loose circle so that they could all see.

"As you know I contacted you about a week ago about some information I had discovered from Doctor Odine on the effects of time compression. It seems that thieves have been trying to break into his lab. He said that the reason was that they thought they had located another sorceress using some kind of 'magic scanner,' and were obsessed with obtaining a certain artifact from his lab."

"Uh, why?" Interrupted Zell.

"Well, it's odd, but they seem to think that the sorceress is...inside the artifact." She held up the sphere, "So apparently, there's a sorceress of equal power to myself...inside this thing."

"You gotta be kidding me, it's smaller than a football!"

"Never mind the size, what is it? It looks like it's full of something moving, like mist. Did Odine tell you anything?" Asked Quistis.

"He says that it's a globe of compressed time." This statement caused the small crowd to become very agitated.

"Quiet please!" Called Squall, "We need to contact Cid and Edea on this, I've had Nida prepare the Garden for flight, we'll be traveling overnight to the old orphanage. Until then, we'll put this topic on hold."

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It was past midnight. Ellone had only just noticed. She had been engrossed in her fighting in the training centre, which was of course the only place where no Garden staff would come to tell you that it was time for curfew. She noticed very suddenly how tired she felt and decided to head for her dorm. It would be the Garden Festival on the morrow, so no lessons, she could afford to sleep in if she so wished. She crept through the man made jungle, hoping to avoid any encounters.

She didn't bump into any monsters, but she did have a different encounter altogether. She hid herself as she heard her parents' voices.

"It's nice to fight together like we used to."

"Yeah....But it's harder now, without my GF. I'm glad I have my sorceress to look after me."

"I thought the knight was supposed to take care of the sorceress, not the other way around."

"Well, as soon as Odine manages to make that non memory loss GF he's been going on about, we can go back to being that way."

"Neo Bahamut? He says he's almost done."

"What do you think about the orb? Do you think we should have told them the whole truth?"

"Not with those other people there. And I wouldn't want to worry them, especially not Quistis."

"Quistis? Why would she be so worried?"

"She's concerned about Ellone. She's still having those recurring nightmares. Quistis suspects that she may be a sorceress, and she may be right, Odine says that my powers have diminished substancially since he tested me when I was seventeen, and the power must have gone somewhere."

"You think when Ellone was born she took some of your power with her?"

('WHAT?!')

"...I hope not."

"She's never shown any magical abilities."

"But she's never been taught how to use magic, and you have to admit, she's abnormally strong for such a small girl, even one who trains so much."

('You have to be kidding me.')

"We don't have any proof. I'll talk to her in the morning, I see too little of her anyway."

Squall left the training center, his brow furrowed. He looked noticably worried when he came into Ellone's view, and when Rinoa followed, she also looked anxious. Ellone waited a short while before she left. She didn't want to be caught evesdropping, and she was too dumbstruck to move for some time anyway.

('It's not true. It can't be true. I won't let it be true.')

She walked through the silent halls of the Garden. Staring straight ahead, but not really seeing, pretty much on autopilot.

('Me? A sorceress? No way....Odine's a wacko, he probably measured wrong, yeah, that's it....I'm not a sorceress.')

The corridor to the dorms flickered with strip lighting, cold bluish white light on grey walls.

('But...what if?')

"Hey! Hyne's blood, you had me worried, I was about to go look for you! What were you doing training so late?" Asked Sylvie in a concerned whisper.

"....Couldn't sleep. Sorry."

"Gaaah, well, I'm going to bed. Night."

"Yeah, night."

"...Is something wrong?"

('There's no point in worrying her, there's no sound evidence for anything yet')

"Nothing. Goodnight Sylvie."


	4. Otherworld

Chapter 4: Otherworld

I've probably said it enough times for even the dimmest of people to get it into their heads, but this is a fanfiction based on a Squaresoft game. Most of it wasn't invented by me, much though I wish it was. Well, you never know, maybe someday I'll make a great game and have people writing fics about it! ...Nah.

I'm really glad that people are reading my fic and giving me good reviews. It's very encouraging, especially as this is my first time writing one. Thankyou all very much. 

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The morning was not bright or cheerful. It was wet, dark and gloomy. Purple grey clouds covered the sky, and the rain pelted on the outside of Ellone's window.

('What a day for the first day of the Garden Festival. Red sky morning...Makes me want to go back to bed.')

She turned on the radio while she made a drink.

_Good Morning to all our listeners, this is Garden Longwave 228. A very happy Garden Festival to all those students in Trabia and Balamb Garden! Just for you and by a huge number of requests, we have a golden oldie next on the playlist. A real classic, this is Julia Heartily's 'Eyes on Me'_

Ellone had only been listening with half an ear, but she recognised easily enough the voice of her Grandmother.

('It's all I have of her, some old photographs and a single song.')

She knew Sylvie would be out having a shower at this time in the morning, so she decided to indulge herself by singing along, something that she would never do when people were around, but couldn't resist.

_...You never said my words, wishing they would be heard._

Ellone poured the hot water into a cup and dropped in a teabag.

_I saw you smiling at me, was it real or just my fantasy?_

Got out a spoon and stirred in a bit of sugar, then fished the teabag out again.

_You'd always be there in the corner of this tiny little bar..._

She poured some milk.

_My last night here with you, same old song just once more,_

"Hey."

"Wha? Yagh!? Friggin'! What are you-?"

"I didn't know you could sing."

"Why are you here? What are you-? shouldn't you be having a shower right now?"

"I slept in, it's the Garden Festival and I was up late last night."

Ellone looked extremely angry and embarrased.

"And you were just sat there listening?"

"Hey, you have a nice voice, I couldn't help it. Besides, it's not like I lied to you or anything."

"But it's 8.00 on a saturday, you should be having you shower right now like you always do at 8.00 on a saturday!"

"Woah, everybody! love-and-peace! You know I didn't mean to!"

"Just...don't tell anybody okay?"

"Okay duck, not a soul will know that you sing like Julia Heartily's Grandaughter."

Ellone expressed annoyance by a noise in her throat and by glaring at the kettle.

"...So," Said Sylvie, anxious to change the subject, "Garden Festival today, Which means we have only six days till the play is on, how's your rehersing going?"

"Okay." Ellone didn't want to tell Sylvie that she pretty much knew the entire script by heart. "You're playing Edea aren't you?"

"Yeah, only because I'm the tallest though, no other reason really."

Ellone was quiet for a moment, listening to the music still coming from the radio.

"I'm going to wander around, I think my dad wants to talk to me, he'll probably be somewhere in the Garden."

"I'll find you as soon as I've had my shower."

Ellone nodded and left the dorm. She stopped on her way around to grab a toasted sandwich from the Cafeteria for brekfast. The Quad was pretty empty, the covered half was dark and the uncovered half was being pelted with rain The movement of the garden over the sea meant that the wind was quick and sharp. But there was still somebody sat on a wall watching the sky despite the bitter cold. Ellone didn't pay much attention to who it was, and turned to leave.

"Hey! Leonhart!"

Ellone's blood curdled at being addressed thus, and she turned around.

"What?" She asked. The figure, half in shadow, stood up. Kelli Almasy. She was a little taller than Ellone with straight blonde hair and grey eyes. Her fingers played a tattoo on the pommel of her longsword, sheathed at her hip.

"What are you doing here Leonhart? Looking for your father?"

"Yes, not that it's really your business."

"So rude. One would expect better manners from Squall Leonhart's daughter."

"What do you want? I'd expect a more straightforward question from Siefer Almasy's daughter."

"I just wanted to know what you were doing, that's all, no need to turn savage. You act as if I'm going to pounce on you."

('I don't trust you.')

"...Whatever."

"Instructor Trepe doesn't like me, and now you too. Are you a Trepie, little Lionheart?"

('She's playing with me, trying to get me mad.')

"Would it matter if I was?"

Kelli seemed suprised at this answer, she had been expecting Ellone to get at least a bt angry, she had been sure that her fellow cadet wasn't overly fond of Instructor Trepe.

"...So, you are a Trepie then!" She managed to say, but it had come out too late, and sounded pathetic and a bit stupid. Ellone just left the Quad, with a chuckle that was only just audible.

('That was fun...But worrying, I guess Kelli is still a bully at heart, she just never gets the chance around me normally.')

Ellone didn't bother with the checking in the Infirmary. She remembered that her mother's favoutite part of the garden was the library, so headed there next. The library was quiet and well lit, only one of the staff was on duty right now, a young cadet who was leaning back in his chair reading some gory murder novel. She didn't disturb him, but walked through into the second room of the facility. She found her mother as expected, with the whole group of 'heroes' stood around, speaking in low voices.

"...So how do we get into that little ball of time and see what's in there?"

"I don't know. Odine said something about destroying it."

"Then let's do that!"

"Zell! Put it down! If there is a sorceress in there, she might be hostile!"

"Yeah, and really cranky about being having the time thingy destroyed like that."

"Who cares! We can whup her ass right?"

"...Zell does have a point."

"ALRIGHT! So let's bust it up!"

"Hey! Be care-"

There was a loud smashing noise. Very loud. It echoed for a long time...

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Ellone woke up. Which was odd really as she didn't remember having been asleep. But she was definitely lying on her back, and she wasn't in the library anymore, she was somewhere cold.

('That's odd. I'm not wearing my jacket. What's with these clothes? Yaah! What's with me?!')

She stood up rather unsteadily. She was different, there were small changes, such as that her hair was a shade darker and was cut more neatly, and her clothes had changed, but then there were bigger changes, the puppy fat was gone from her limbs, face and hands, her arms and legs were more muscular and something had definitely happened around her hips and chest.

('Am I somebody else? In somebody else's body? ...No. I'm me, I still have that little scar on my arm from when I got careless around a grat, and the mole on my shoulder. I'm still me, but I'm....older.')

She tried to look at herself better. She was wearing tough black combat trousers with padded knees, and black boots with silver buckles. The reason she felt cold was because her arms were bare, her top half covered by a tight vest top that was pale blue on the front half and black on the back. She was comforted to find her gunblade was buckled firmly to her hip, though that had changed too. She didn't recognise the make it had been remodeled to, it retained the old black handle and silver six chambered gun part, but the blade was now white and in the shape of a long, outstretched wing. She tested the weight, it was perfectly balanced and light enough to wield easily in one hand.

('Cooooool. This is one alrighteous gunblade. At least future me has taste in weapons, if not in clothes.')

Ellone looked around her. She was in a rather decrepid looking old castle, it was very cold, a ceaseless draught blew through the halls. She noticed something by her foot. It was a long coat made from a light material that was deep dusky blue in colour. The label inside the hood read "Leonhart."

('Guess it's mine then.')

She pulled it on. It was well cut, and a very comfortable fit. On each shoulder had been sewn a badge. On her right arm was a SeeD badge, the usual black and white emblem on a sky blue background, and on her left arm was a badge with the same logo, but embroidered in grey and cream on a white field.

('This one means I'm a SeeD. And this one...I've never seen before.')

She began to rifle through her pockets.

('Hmmm, ooh, chocolate bar....a couple of gil, a whistle? ...my SeeD licence, hey, I passed when I was fifteen,and I'm Rank 29, not bad....and a piece of folded paper.')

She brought out the scrap. On it was written a brief letter in her own handwriting.

_To me. (that sounds so wierd)_

_I guess since you're reading this that you're in compressed time and that you're pretty unsure about what's going on. Basically you're in the body of your seventeen year old self, but as far as you know you're still fourteen. Don't worry, you'll go back to normal when this is over, or else you wouldn't have written yourself this note. Cool gunblade huh? It's name is 'Halo Edge,' I won't tell you when you're gonna get it, I'll leave that as a suprise for the future._

_Anyway, you'll be here a while, and you will have to fight. But don't worry, you have your GF, His name is Valefor, you'll have to junction him yourself, ask him and he'll tell you how Oh, and no, you won't lose your memory, he's a special GF. You can probably cope though, you have powers most people don't, I think it's best that you're told this by yourself rather than somebody else. You are a sorceress. You'll get used to it, you've been one your whole life anyway and never had any problems._

('Well, at least I know for sure now, I wouldn't lie to myself would I?')

_One more thing. You will find friends here, some of them you'll know already, but they'll be older like you. You can trust them, especially Sylvie, You can trust Sylvie Kinneas with your life. She is your best friend after all._

('She is? ...Well, I guess she is really. I'd never thought of her as being my 'best friend' before.')

_Well, that's pretty much everything you need to know. If I tell you too much it won't be an adventure!_

_Sincerely, You._

Ellone made a mental note that when she turned seventeen she would have to carry a note like this around for when this situation happened.

('It would have been nice if I'd told myself which way to go. Well, guess I'll head....this way.')

She chose to go in the opposite direction to the draft, and began to walk down a long passageway.

('Hey wait, what about my GF? The note said to ask him.')

"Valefor?" She aked tentatively, and was suprised by the sound of her own voice.

**"Yes?" **Replied a soft voice, it came seemingly from inside her head.

"You're my GF right?"

**"Ah, you told me this would happen. You want me to junction myself?"**

"Yes, thankyou." Ellone sensed an image in her mind of a dragon like creature, bigger than a man, with a beaklike head, large brown wings, and soft red scales on it's back and neck. She felt a strange tingling in her body as suddenly she felt the ability to use magic become clear and obvious to her.

**"Hmm, I'll sort out the magic junctionning for you, I doubt you know how to do that yet."**

"Thanks."

Suddenly she felt a heat in her arms, it was almost painful, but not quite. Her muscles seemed to glow for a second, then stopped, but she was left with a feeling of superhuman power.

"What was that?"

**"I have junctionned Firaga Magic to your strength. You will notice you are now physically far stronger than any normal human."**

('No wonder SeeDs used to be so feared, even with just one GF you can be superhuman. I can see why you'd risk memory loss for this.')

She stood still whilest Valefor junctionned what he called 'Magic' and 'Vitality,' the first made her feel suddenly more aware and in touch with the stock of magic she had stored within her, and the second gave a feeling of health and wellbeing.

**"You are now junctionned, I will be waiting for your call if you need me Master."**

"Thanyou Valefor."

Ellone stretched, she was still tingling all over, she guessed it was normal and that she would get used to it. She was already beginning to get used to her altered bodyshape, it felt natural enough, but she was still glad that she wasn't to become a particularly curvacious young woman, she was of an athletic, wiry build and a little below average height.

The passage went on straight for a while, then lead to some steps and an open doorway which allowed access to the castle ramparts. It was raining outside, and the mist was so thick that it was impossible to see what was below the high wall.

('Might as well walk along the wall then, it's wet, but I've come too far to start going back the way I came.')

She stepped out, glad that the wall was thick and guarded from the wind by the ramparts, it was a long way down. She pulled up her hood and tucked her hair into it, then began to trudge through the rain.

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The wall was very long, Ellone began to regret choosing to go up onto it. She had been walking for a long time, and had found nothing.

('Wait! Is that? ....a person. Yeah, it is. Better be careful, might be hostile.')

The figure had obviously also seen her, and was moving cautiously. As it neared, it became clear that it was female, and much taller than Ellone.

"Friend or foe!?" Shouted the mysterious woman through the wind. Ellone tried to keep the rain out of her eyes with a spare hand, but still could barely see.

"What sort of stupid question is that!?" She shouted back.

"Friend or foe!?" Repeated the other woman, angrily.

"I haven't any idea where I am or who you are! How am I supposed to know if I'm your friend?!"

The woman came closer, she was at least now a little visable. She was tall and pale skinned, dressed in shorts and tall socks, both of which were too wet to tell what colour they were meant to be, and a shirt with elbow length sleeves which was apparently purple. As she walked forward, she drew what appeared to be a silver dagger.

"Look. I'm having a really bad day, and it's really cold out here. Just answer my question please." She growled.

(' 'Please'? This woman doesn't want to kill me. But she's got her weapon out, she must be scared of me or something.')

"I'm not answering a question that I can't answer. If you don't want to hurt me, put your weapon down."

"Put yours down first!"

"Fine." Said Ellone. She brought out the gunblade and laid it in front of her.

"A gunblade!" The tall female immediately looked more comfortable and laid her weapon down. A telescopic metal spear.

('That spear. It's been modified a bit, but, she could be...')

"Are you a SeeD?" Asked the stranger. Ellone saluted with the back of her palm. Her companion saluted back "Take off your hood."

"In this weather? Not a chance, Is there somewhere dry that way?" She pointed in the direction from which the other SeeD had come.

"Fine then, follow me, it's not far. Here, nice gunblade by the way."

"Thanks."

('I wish I could see her properly,') thought Ellone as she jogged behind ('I don't want to ask her if she's Sylvie if she isn't.')

When they got under cover, they almost fell over, being so used to the strong prevailing wind. Both sat down. The other person was younger than she had appeared when in the rain, though she was tall and possesing a mature body, she had a young face, surrounded by brown hair that was quite short and had a slight waviness to it, and most noticably, large green eyes.

('It's her, it has to be.')

"Now will you take off your hood, oh mysterious gunblade wielder?"

('It's definitely her.')

"Miss Kinneas I presume?" Ellone laughed and tugged off the hood, which was quite wet, her hair was damp beneath. She sat for a moment, feeling embarrased while she was being stared at.

"I knew it was you."

"Yeah, whatever."

"Well I didn't see you being aware of who I was."

"You wanted me to jump up and down yelling 'woohoo' or something?"

"Would have been nice...Actually no, I would have been even more freaked out than I am now, I'm glad you're the same old Ella. Did you have a letter in your pocket too?"

"Yeah."

"...Can I read it? You can read mine."

"Knock yourself out." Ellone handed her the letter, and took a note from Slyvie, which had been, rather intellegently, put into a plastic bag.

_To Me (Sylvie Kinneas)_

_This note is to tell you some important stuff for when you're in compressed time. Firstly, you're in the body of your seventeen year old self, but with the memories and knowledge of your fourteen year old self, you might get flashes of memory, and you'll find yourself knowing stuff you don't know yet. When you've sorted stuff out here you'll go back to normal, so don't worry too much, just have fun._

_You have a GF, a non memory loss one, his name is Maduin. Call him and he'll help you out. Your spear has been improved a bit, but it functions in exactly the same way as it used to._

_You're alone right now I expect, but you will bump into Ella pretty soon, she's in an older body like you are, but you'll recognise her, just look out for a cute girl with a gunblade! (No, seriously, Ellone is really cute now!) There are other friends too, some you'll know, others you won't. Yes, the loud Estharian girl is your friend believe it or not._

_So don't panic, head towards the draft to meet a friend, then go back the way you came. Have fun!_

_Love, You._

Ellone put the letter down just in time to see Sylvie descend on her with a hug.

"Awwww! I'm your best friend!"

('Dammit! I forgot the stupid future me had written that!')

"Aah..."

"You never told me I was your best friend!"

('Did she even read the bit about me being a sorceress?')

"Uh."

"That's so nice!"

"Sylvie, you're sort of strangling me here."

"Oh, sorry." She let go of Ellone, and gave back the piece of paper. "So you've always been a sorceress?"

"Apparently. It would explain the dreams."

"How wierd. Anyway, I guess we should get a move on, find some of these 'friends' we both mentioned. I'm kind of intregued about the 'Loud Estharian girl.'"

"We're going down there?" Ellone pointed down a long passageway, lit by torches.

"Yep. Let's go!"


	5. Best

Chapter 5: The Best.

The whole copyright type thing summed up in an equasion: Squaresoft me.

Erm, okay. I'm about to introduce a character who you will probably hate. Give them a chance okay? I will explain why the character is like that in later chapters, and also the character will become better I promise! I hope this chapter isn't a let down...

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The girl had woken up alone, and she had changed too. She was afraid at first, but a note from herself in her pocket reassured her. All she needed to do was to find this 'Leonhart' girl, apparently the daughter of Squall, and apparently her friend. Not that she was worried about being alone, she was the best. She hopped over the rooftops of the castle, looking down, feeling her excitement shared by the GF that was bound within her.

A girl. Two girls. One tall and speaking incessantly her wide mouth smiling, the other small and quiet, her gaze constantly alert.

Which one was the sorceress? The taller girl had great physical presence owing to her height and great green eyes. But the small one had some feeling of being more powerful than she looked that almost radiated from her if you knew how to see it properly, and as she looked up, the features of her face showed plainly her lineage.

Ellone sensed something.

"We're being watched." She said.

"Huh? How do you know?" Asked Sylvie.

"I don't know how I know, but I can feel it."

"Maybe it's a sorceress thing?"

('Good point, I wonder if I can sense better if I concentrate.')

Ellone shut her eyes and breathed deeply, allowing her mind to blank. She sensed something. Sylvie next to her giving off warmth and concern. She roved further. There! The mind was so sharp that the young sorceress recoiled from it. Not hostile, just hard and hot and bright like a poker. She felt the direction of those stormy grey eyes.

The girl on the roof watched in amazement as slowly the small SeeD turned around, her eyes closed, and pointed her head directly at her.

Ellone opened her eyes and saw. 

"There you are! Why are you spying on us?"

The girl didn't answer, she just jumped down from her hiding place and looked long and hard at the pair in front of her.

"Who are you?" Asked Sylvie.

The stranger said nothing. She was a little taller than Ellone, and not so bony in build. She had very hard grey eyes and a pale face, which were a contrast to her mane of red hair and vivid red lips. She was obviously from Esthar, dressed in a tight silver bodysuit and tooled up with so many guns that she could have occupied Irvine Kinneas for days.

"My name," She stated, "Is Maxina Best. Because I am the best. Maxina means 'best' therefore I am the best Best."

"Wow, you're the best of the best of the best then!" Said Sylvie lightly.

"Precisely." She smiled, "You are Sylvie Kinneas and Ellone Raine Leonhart. I have heard from a reliable source, myself, that you are as good as SeeDs can get and that I am your friend, or will be."

('This must be the 'loud Estharian' Sylvie wrote about.')

"I'm pleased to meet you Maxina Best."

"What a polite little sorceress. You may call me Max, or Best, the choice is your own."

"I think 'Best' suits you quite well."

"It does rather. Though please remember that I am the best, you may be a close second, but I have never lost at anything. No sorceress, SeeD or monster can ever defeat me."

"Wow, you're really confident!" Said Sylvie, she sounded cheerful, but Ellone recognised her expression, she didn't seem to like Best much, "You've never lost at _anything_? Doesn't life get boring?"

"Some things are a challenge, but I do not give up until I am the master."

('This girl is going to either drive me insane or end up being a really good friend.')

"Well Best, we're going that way." Ellone pointed, "Are you coming with us?"

"Why that way?"

"Seems as good a direction as any."

"Very well, you have come from that direction, and I have come from the roof, your decision is logical enough." Maxina began to walk alongside them.

"So, Best, you're not a SeeD then?"

"No, though my organisation is similar to Garden, EMO, the Esthar Mercenary Organisation. It doesn't exist in my time, but that is because I have yet to set it up."

"You're going to set up a whole mercenary organisation? But, you can't be much older than..."

"In my own time I am fifteen. Here I am eighteen."

"Talk about a prodigy."

"I did tell you that I am the best."

"What about fighting? Do you use Para-magic?"

"Of course, my GF is Fenrir. You will find that I am far more than a match for any opponent, including you, Miss Leonhart."

Ellone scowled and stayed silent.

"She prefers to be called Ellone, her friends call her 'Ella,' though I'm unsure if she likes that or just tolerates it."

"You appear to be a lady of few words Ellone. Is it that you do not like to speak or that you have nothing interesting to say?"

"Few things that people say are ever really worth saying, and even less things are worth saying more than once."

"....And if people don't understand you the first time you speak to them?"

"They're not worth talking to."

"I see. Are you always like this or have I caught you on a bad day?"

"Monsters!" Ellone drew her gunblade and was immediately in a battle stance. Sylvie extended her spear and stood ready, and Best drew two pistols with a little flair and locked out her arms. "Creeps! Think we can take them?"

"Please, give me a real challenge!" Best jumped forward, guns blazing. The first creep was blown away within seconds, falling to the ground like a black rag. "Let's see you handle the other one miss Leonhart."

The young SeeD was now burning to prove herself. She struck the creature so hard with her gunblade that there was little left of it to fall down. She failed to notice the look of concern that crossed Maxina's face.

"You are very strong." Said the Estharite quietly. "...But you cannot be stronger than me. I am-"

"-The best. We know already! Will you please shut up!" The outbust seemed unusual for Sylvie, and the frown was strange seen on her childlike mouth and light brow. "Yes, you're good maybe, but that doesn't mean you're nessesarily better than everybody else!"

"I will entitle you to your own opinions Miss Kinneas, though I do not agree. I am intregued that we are destined to become good friends, you do not seem to be the sort of person I make friends with."

('That's because Sylvie probably made friends with you, not the other way around.')

Ellone gave Sylvie a quietly sympathetic glance. ('I can't see tham being friends either.')

"Come on. Keep walking, we don't have time for this." Said Ellone, "I don't want to be stuck here longer than I have to be."

"Yeah, okay."

"Hmm." The Two taller girls unlocked their eyes and followed Ellone.

"So Ellone, are you to be our leader?"

"No, I don't see why three mature people need to have a leader. Somebody just needed to remind you of what's important here."

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Pain. Loneliness. He was not hurt, but something ached inside him. Something, somebody was missing. But he couldn't remember what he had lost that was so important. All he knew was that he would give anything to have whatever it was back with him. What was it? An image skittered on the edge of his memory, faceless. He knew it was beautiful, he ardently desired to see it, touch it. But yet it evaded him.

He walked on like a robot, barely aware of what was going on, cutting down any foes that barred his path.

"I...Will....find..."

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Ellone sat down on a chunk of rubble.

"We're resting here." She said, "we've been walking for ages and still nothing."

"Just old ruins, miles of them."

"....What are we supposed to be looking for anyway?"

Ellone looked up.

"I...Don't know. I have this feeling, like I've lost something important....I wish I knew what it was."

There was a long silence. Sylvie looked at her feet, Best checked her artillery piece by piece. But it was suddenly broken by a shout.

"HEY! PEOPLE! ALRIGHT!"

The three young women looked up to see a young man thundering towards them.

"WOOT! I'm the luckiest guy alive! I finally find company and it's three hot babes!"

('Oh no. It's not. Please Hyne don't let it be a grown up Genji Dincht.')

The young man slicked back his blonde hair with a hand.

"Well hello." He said, "Are you ladies lonely at all?" He looked at them in turn, "Heh, you're all...pretty well armed aren't you?"

('Oh but it is.')

"Yes, we're evil sirens who prey on passing travellers."Said Sylvie, "We have been waiting for you Genji Dincht." the SeeD somehow managed to keep a straight face as she stood up and loomed over him. Sylvie, like so many tall people, had the ability to loom ominously, which she could apparently turn on and off at leisure.

"Aaaaaggghhhhhh....Please! Don't kill me!"

Slyvie now lost the ability to keep a straight face and had a very long and incapacitating fit of giggles.

"She's just kidding you Genji." Said Ellone.

"But...How do you know my name?"

"Please note that I am nothing to do with them and have never met you before. My name is Maxina Best." the redhead shook Genji's hand.

"So who are you two then?"

"...And he still doesn't have a clue!" Sylvie carried on laughing. Ellone shook her head and looked at the floor.

"What!? ....Geez, one of you is the ice queen and the other one is off her head!" Something clicked. "Oh my- You're Sylvie Kinneas! ....so you must be...."

"Yep! That's Ellone Leonhart."

"No freakin' way!"

"I know! Isn't she cute!?"

"Yeah! She's like, the uber cute!"

"I'm stood four feet away. Do you mind?"

"Yeah, we keep telling her she's pretty and she'll make Best feel jealous. I'm presuming you're also the best looking, right Best?" teased Sylvie.

"Are you making fun of me?"

"No, she's making fun of both of us. She's the best at that."

"What?! She cannot be the best! I am the best!"

('Result! Oh, that was too cruel.')

"I will not be beaten by a lanky, clumsy green eyed monster!"

"Ooh, looks like I'm not the only 'green eyed monster' around here. C'mon! Ellone insults better than you!"

"Gaaaahh! I will not tolerate this! I have to be the best!"

"Fine, Best, you be whatever you want. So Genji, you seen anything interesting?"

"Nope, this place is boring. Super boring."

"And we're the first people you've bumped into?"

"Yeah. Why are we all older here?"

"Probably something to do with this being compressed time. Past, present and future all exist at once or something."

Genji's eyebrows moved as he tried to understand the concept.

"Oh man, now my head hurts. I'll leave the thinking to you guys okay?" said the youth. Best smiled, probably pleased that Genji was suitably inferior to her when it came to thinking. Although there may have been another reason. Genji had become a well muscled young man with a rather handsome, if somewhat boyish face, perhaps she found him attractive.

"Do you think there are others around here? More of our friends?"

"I woke with a letter in my pocket that I had written to myself. It said there should be six of us." Said Best.

"Six? But that's the same number as were in..."

"...Squall Leonhart's group when they defeated Ultimicia. The same thing occured to me."

"Well. My first thoughts are to get a move on. But perhaps we should rest longer." Said Ellone, "Besides, if we wait, maybe they'll find us. These ruins can't go on forever right?"

Sylvie suddenly laughed.

"You know who you sound like when you take charge like that?"

"Don't tell me, Squall Leonhart is it?" ('It's always Squall Leonhart. Like father like daughter, and all that rubbish.')

"No. That's the funny thing. You sound just like Instructor Trepe!"

"...Whatever. Just rest. We walk again in twenty minutes."

"Aye aye capp'n Quistis!" Called Sylvie with a mock salute.

Ellone found a more secluded spot behind a wall where she could sit and be alone for a while.

('What's going on? Why didn't I write more in my note? Why do I keep having to be leader, can't those guys cope alone? ...No, that's not the problem, they can all cope alone, they just can't cope together. Sylvie pretends she likes people, but really she knows she's different, she's much smarter than the rest of us, but she's afraid to show it. Best is loud, but she keeps having to remind herself that she's good, it's as if she doesn't believe it, she's terrified of failure. At least Genji's straightforward. He's impulsive and he has a big mouth, but at least he doesn't seem to have any dark hidden depths like the rest of us.....Damn, I really am turning into Quistis Trepe aren't I? Analysing everybody for no reason.')

The small Leonhart sighed and stared at a patch of moss that was crawling with woodlice. She dozed for a moment, but opened her eyes suddenly when she felt a presence. ('This sorceress thing is annoying, how am I supposed to think if I get disturbed all the time? ...Well, I'll check it out.')

She roved carefully with her mind, counting off conciousnesses as she passed them. ('Best, Genji, Sylvie.....hello, who's this?') The being wasn't far off, but it was difficult to read what sort of a person it was. It gave off a feeling very different to the one Ellone had felt from Best.

The girl climbed up the wall and sat atop it like a strangely beautiful gargoyle.

"Hey!" She shouted on seeing a person. The figure stopped and looked up at Ellone. It was a woman.

"Hello!" She replied. "I mean you no harm!"

('I know that voice. Where have I heard it before?') Ellone watched the familiar voice approach. ('That's odd, I don't recognise her at all. Is it another person I know but older?') She scrambled down and stood with her hand hovering by her gunblade.

"I said I mean you no harm! I'm a SeeD, a SeeD from Balamb Garden!" The woman saluted smartly.

('Wait, I know you, you're- no, this isn't right. It doesn't make sense. How can she be here? It's...')

[World's most annoying chapter ending! To be continued!]


	6. Reunion

Chapter 6: Reunion

Squaresoft own lots of the people and stuff in this fic. Blah blah blah, I'm sure you all have the message now.

I've had some interesting feedback for the last chapter. I know it wasn't as good as the one before it, and Best is infuriating, but she'll become less so (but still a bit, because she's more fun when she's driving you nuts!) And now you can finally stop going crazy and discover who it is that Ellone had just met. You will be suprised to find that it isn't Kelli Almasy (unless you're used to my warped imagination that is) Now read on!

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"Are you alright?" Asked the woman. The girl was barely younger than herself, and she looked like somebody she knew. The badges on her arms were both of the SeeD symbol, but she couldn't have been from Balamb, otherwise she would have known who it was. But the girl looked like she knew her, although she also looked like she'd seen a ghost. "Please, I won't hurt you."

"What are you doing here!?"

"I'm sorry, I don't think I know you."

"You- You don't? You don't remember me?"

"I'm very sorry, my memory isn't very good, the GF cause me to forget things."

('GF that cause you to forget? So she is from the past...and she doesn't remember me then, because for her I'm not born yet.')

The woman folded her arms. She was around average height, slender and well toned. Her eyes were bright blue and her hair long and blonde with a touch of red to it. She was dressed in an orange vest and matching skirt, the vest being zipped in a way to expose a small portion of tight stomach, and tall leather boots.

Ellone was shocked. She had barely ever seen Instructor Trepe out of her SeeD uniform, and had never even considered that at any point she would have worn clothes like that.

"I wish I could remember you, please don't be offended."

"No, of course not. It doesn't matter anyway. You are Instructor Quistis Trepe aren't you?"

"I'm not an istructor any more, though I used to be. But yes, I am definitely Quistis Trepe."

"Hey Ella! Where are you!?" Sylvie's voice came from behind.

"Sylvie! Come and see who I just found! You won't believe it!"

"There you- Oh my god! Th-th-that's-" Sylvie's eyes widened.

"Sylvie, meet Quistis Trepe. Quistis, this is Sylvie."

"You all seem very suprised to see me, I didn't think I was that famous." The younger Quistis laughed.

"Ah, she doesn't remember does she."

" I don't think she's the Quistis from our time."

"From your time? I'm sorry? Are you from the future?"

"Yes." ('There's no point in lying to her. Even if she is alot younger, she's still Instructor Trepe, she'd figure it out pretty quickly anyway.')

"You said your name was Sylvie. I didn't catch yours..."

"Ellone."

"Oh! Named after Sis. Are you Squall's daughter?"

"...Yes."

"Hmm, you look like him. Especially when you scowl like that. But you have Rinoa's moody little pout."

('Moody little wha- I do not pout! Pouting is not what I do! Just because when I frown my lip sticks out a bit...gah! I don't pout!')

"Instr- Er, Quistis? Do you have any idea how you got here?"

"None at all. I went to sleep after the party to celebrate Ultimicia's defeat, and I woke up here. Is this the future?"

"No, this is compressed time, at least, I think so."

"The fact that we're older than we should be and suddenly we get an Instructor Trepe from about twenty years into the past goes in favour of that theory."

"Do you think that the others will be here? My mother and father but younger?"

"You're from twenty years into the future!?" It had taken Quistis a couple of seconds for the statement to sink in, suddenly she felt very worried.

"Ah. This is where it gets complicated."

"It isn't complicated now? I'm talking to my friend's daughter, who, I hope, isn't even concieved yet, in compressed time!"

"It can get more complicated and it will. Okay. We are in the bodies of ourselves from three years into our future, but our minds seem not to have changed. So mentally we're both fourteen."

"Actually that's wrong Ella. Our memories are from when we were fourteen. Haven't you found yourself thinking differently?"

"...No, not really."

"Oh. Well I have...So anyway. Perhaps there's something that needs doing so they got Squall's group and Your group to do it."

"My group? I thought I said I wasn't the leader?"

"Yeah, but you've hardly been acting like you're not the leader have you." Said Best.

"How long have you been listening in?"

"Long enough. I am better than you at espionage it seems." She smiled smugly. "So, the legendary Quistis Trepe in her fighting prime. I am very honoured to meet you."

('Huh? Best sounds almost like she thinks Quistis is an equal. There's somebody Best doesn't feel superior to!')

"I'm pleased to meet you too whoever you are."

"I am Maxina Best. A friend. Now Ellone, I believe that it is time for us to continue our travels. Here comes Master Dincht."

"Yo guys! You left me with no clue where you all were! ...Woah! Who's this?"

"You're not a relative of Zell Dincht by any chance?"

"Yeah! I'm Genji! Son of the one and only legendary SeeD sorceress killer Zell Dincht!"

"You certainly have his energy. I'm Quistis Trepe."

"Hey, I never knew Instructor Trepe had a daughter. Guess you're older like us then!"

"Er...Genji?"

"Yeah?"

"That...IS Instructor Trepe."

"Pfff...Yeah, whatever, I'm not that gullible Syl."

('He can believe that we're evil sirens, but he can't believe this?')

"Genji, she's being serious. We're older versions of ourselves and this is a younger version of Instructor Trepe."

"WHAT THE HELL!?"

"I really do feel awkward." Said Quistis.

"Don't worry. We all do. We'll just get going, you can't be just on your own in this place right?"

"Guys! You're totally screwin' my head here!"

"Shut up Genji."

"Huh? .....Hey! Wait up!"

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Squall leaned against a rock, deep in thought.

"Hey Squall, so, like, where are we?"

"I don't know."

"You must know something."

"No Irvine I don't know anything. What makes you think I should know where or what this stupid castle is?"

"Geez, okay. You not even got an educated guess you can give me?"

"...No."

"Aren't you worried about Rinoa?"

Squall didn't say anything. He covered his forehead with a hand and scowled.

"Sorry, guess that's not a good topic....Besides Rinoa can take care of herself right? But I sure hope my darlin' little Selphie's okay."

"Selphie has more survival training than you do, I think she can take care of herself."

"But it's cold here! And she's only got that little dress!"

"....Irvine, she's from Trabia. I've seen her in knee deep snow in that dress."

"Good point. Man, she's something."

Squall sniggered.

"What!?" Exclaimed Irvine.

"You've been tamed man. The old Irvine would have forgotten a girl after five minutes out of sight of her."

"Huh! Not this girl! My Selphie is always on my mind."

"...Whatever."

Irvine paced a little, his hands behind his back. He looked up and stared at the horizon. Then he caught sight of somebody. It was a young man, walking in a weary looking way, a look of agony on his face.

"Hey!" Shouted Irvine.

The boy's head turned towards him, but his expression remained the same. His features moved in no way to suggest he acknowledged that the sniper was there. He paused for a moment, muttered to himself and walked on.

"Hey! You!" Repeated the gunman, walking cautiously over to the stranger.

He was smaller than Irvine, marginally taller than Squall, and finely built with a face that was well defined and more beautiful than handsome. His eyes were grey and sorrowful and his sandy brown hair was short and stuck up in erratic spikes. His clothes were simple, blue jeans with patched knees and a black t-shirt with a long white waistcoat. He stared hard at Irvine. Then looked up slowly.

"I- I can't find....I've lost..."

"What? What have you lost? Are you okay?"

Squall tilted his head curiously and stepped away from the wall. He spoke to the young man clearly and firmly.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"I am....I...am..." The Spiky haired boy looked at Squall, and then slowly put his index finger up and pointed to the diagonal scar that ran across the SeeD's forehead. "You are Leonhart...I have lost...Leonhart...lost."

"You've lost Squall?" Asked Irvine.

"Leonhart. My sorceress....I've lost her...It hurts here." He put a hand to his heart. "This knight has failed." The boy's eyes rolled up into his head and he promptly fell unconcious onto the floor.

"Man. What was that about?"

"We'll ask him when he wakes up. Let him sleep for now, he looks like he needs it."

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Best was happy. She had hardly ever been happy before. She didn't have to be the best. Not here. Quistis Trepe. Not even the best could be better than a legend right? And besides that, her parents weren't here. Her teachers weren't here. And the two girls and boy didn't care about 'making her realise her potential,' they didn't ask her to 'do her best' they didn't tell her to 'strive' she wasn't being watched, she was free to mess up a little, not that she would of course, she was still the best. But it was nice to know that if she stopped being the best for a second, nobody would really care.

"My friends."

"Huh? You say something?" Asked Sylvie.

"Nothing."

"Oh. Okay. You alright Best? I mean, you can tell us if anything's wrong, I'm sure you don't often have problems, but still..."

"I am...happy."


	7. Balcony

Chapter 7: Balcony

Hear ye, hear ye! This is all based on a Squaresoft game!

I got some great feedback from the last chapter. Thanks a lot! I really wanted to include the original FF8 cast as their teenage selves, so the time compression idea was the perfect plot device for the job! ^_^ cunning huh? Oh, one more thing. I've been playing a little game while writing this, basically I've been trying to use phrases from FF8 and put them into the text. See how many you can find throughout the whole story so far, there's quite a few! this chapter has "let's get a move on" as one of them.

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Rinoa stared at the sky, her delicate hand clasped around the pair of silver rings that hung on a chain around her neck.

"...Squall. Where are you?"

"Hey Rinoa, are you okay?"

She nodded, and turned around, trying to put on a brave face.

"Yeah. I'm just a little scared."

"You shouldn't worry about Squall. You'll find each other. You always do! You're like a prince and princess from a fairy tale!"

Rinoa smiled. No matter how bad the situation seemed, Selphie would never give in to pessimism.

"You're right. A sorceress always finds her knight, like in the stories right?"

"Right!" Selphie did a little jump in the air.

"How do you still have so much energy? I'm exhausted. We've been walking all day." Rinoa sat down on the floor. They were on a high balcony, the rain had stopped, and far below the wall they could see the sea shifting, glittering in a fantastic neon pink sunset. "I don't think I can keep walking too much further, not without a good rest. But you don't seem tired at all."

"I used to play with the junior classmen all the time between lessons in Trabia, we had huge snowball fights! Compared to that a little walking is easy! That's why I was used as a messenger so often."

"Really? I always thought it was because you persued your victims until you caught them, even with things like ten foot cliff faces being in the way!"

"Tee-hee! Squall told you about that huh? Well, it was the fastest way. Sometimes you should just do stuff, thinking wastes too much time!"

Rinoa smiled, and found herself laughing a little.

"Do I think too much?"

"Of course not!"

"I think you're just being nice."

Selphie grinned. She had a grin that was even harder to decipher than Squall's frown, there was something going on behind it, but instead of repressing happiness, Selphie seemed to do the opposite. Rinoa wondered just how geniune Selphie's apparent unending exuberance really was.

"Well, we'll chill out here for a bit. Woo, Pretty sunset huh?"

"Yeah, sure is..."

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"What a fantastic sunset! It's beautiful! Ella, you have to come and see this!" Sylvie had just got out into the open, and after the dark, torchlit coridoors and huge chambers the sunlight and soft breeze felt wonderful.

"It is pretty amazing." Agreed Ellone.

"Not much cloud, it's gonna be a cold night ladies." Said Genji. "We should find someplace sheltered to dig in for the night."

"Hey Genji, that's probably the most sensible thing I've ever heard you say."

"Woah, complimented by the ice maiden herself, not every day that happens, that's one for my journal."

"You keep a journal Genji?" Asked Quistis.

"Of course, I wouldn't want to forget stuff. How do you cope with that GF? I'd hate to lose my memories."

"Sometimes we have to make sacrifices. I had to make a choice, my memories, or the power to defeat the sorceress."

"Man, some choice."

"I would choose the power." Said Best firmly. "Memories are worth nothing if your world is destroyed."

"And that's what we chose too. Selphie kept a diary so she wouldn't forget, the rest of us never remembered to fill ours in. But I think Selphie had a happier childhood than the rest of us, there were more things she didn't want to forget."

"Yeah, she was the one who gave me the idea. I've got a list of who the important people in my life are too, so I won't forget them either."

Genji got out his journal, a small, red book at show Quistis and Best. But Ellone was distracted. Sylvie was staring out to sea, her eyes distant and a little glazed.

"....Sylvie?"

"If she's here.....My mother....She won't remember me...will she?"

"She won't be your mother. Don't think of her as your mother, it'll be harder that way. Distinguishing Quistis from our Instructor Trepe isn't so hard, just think of Selphie as being a different person from your mother."

"....You're right. Thanks Ella."

"Hey. What's that? .....There's something moving over there."

"Where?"

"That balcony way over there. There's people on it. Can't see them too well, they're a long way off."

"Hey, yeah, I see now. One of them in blue and the other in yellow right?"

Quistis' head jerked up.

"What?"

"Look over there, there's two people on that balcony."

"Selphie and Rinoa."

"...How do you know?"

"Well, Rinoa's just a guess, but even at this distance I can tell it's Selphie just by the way she moves."

"She doesn't stay still much does she?"

('She hasn't changed much then')

"Hm? What are you thinking?"

"Huh?"

"When you think, you look like Squall does when he's thinking. What's on your mind?"

"...I hope she hasn't changed much."

"Why's that?

"Because I like her. She's a fun person to be with. She cheers everybody up."

"Sounds like the same old Selphie. Always smiling, even when she's sad herself she won't let it show, for everybody else's sake."

Quistis watched the little yellow figure fidgeting and smiled.

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"Heeey! Rinoa! There's people over there!"

"Really?" Rinoa jumped up and ran to the edge of the blacony. "Please, let it be Squall!" She whispered to the sky.

"Is that Quissy?" Selphie took a huge breath and yelled extremly loud;

"HEEEEYYYYY! QUIIIISSSTIIIIIISSS!!!!!"

Rinoa winced and covered her ears.

Selphie jumped up and down exitedly.

"She's waving! Woohoo!"

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"She can make alot of noise for such a small person." Said Best.

"Yes. She's hardly as delicate as she looks." Quistis stopped waving for a second. "Genji. You can probably shout pretty loud, could you shout 'Booyaka' back at her?"

"Heh, no problem! ...Wait, are you sayin' I'm loud?"

"Well, you are a l-"

"Just shout Genji."

"Tsh, fine...HEY YOU GUYS! BOOOOOYAAAKKAAAA!!!!!"

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"Was that Zell?"

"I dunno...It really sounds like him. But he looks different...bigger."

"How do we get to them? They're all the way over on that other balcony."

"Well, the long, boring route would be to walk aaaaall the way over there. Hmmm....there must be a faster way..." Selphie looked down off the balcony. "Long way down, I don't think I'd jump that if you paid me a million gil."

"We could just walk."

"But that'll take forever!"

"It's not that far, if they're walking towards us, and we're walking towards them, we'll meet in the middle in about twenty minutes right?"

Selphie kicked up her heels, looking at her boots.

"Okay, we'll do that. Let's go!"

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"Huh? Where are they going?" Questionned Genji.

"They're walking towards us. If we walk towards them, we'll meet up before it's dark." Said Ellone.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Asked Quistis, "Let's get a move on!"

Twenty minutes later the group of youths had yet to find the pair. The path to the other blacony was not straight as they had thought, but twisted aroung misleadingly. It was becoming dark. Ellone scowled to herself.

('Just my luck. We're lost aren't we? True I was getting a little jittery about meeting-')

"Quissy!"

Ellone looked up into the inky blue doorway on heaing the familliar voice. ('Instructor K- ...!') She suddenly remembered, and tried to hide the shock of seeing not her Instructor, but a small, sticklike teenager with huge eyes and the wackiest hairstyle she had ever seen, dressed in a daringly short minidress and knee high boots.

"Selphie! I'm glad to see you!" Said Quistis.

"Wooo! That was a longer walk than I expected! Seriously."

"Selphie! Slow down!"

Ellone froze. She had told herself she wouldn't be phased. She had told herself that really it wasn't her mother at all, but on hearing that voice, she could feel her heat beating in her head. Her hands curled compulsively

"Hey, Rinoa! Look it's Quistis!"

"Really? Yesss!" Rinoa rounded the corner. Extremely beautiful. Now Ellone could see exactly how those clothes should have looked. And she also wondered how anybody could compare her to her mother.

('How can they make such a comparison?! Compared to her I'm nothing! How can anybody look at her, then call me beautiful?')

She couldn't look any more, she looked to her left. In the dim blue light she could see that Sylvie's eyes looked overly shiny. She was crying, small suppressed spasms occasionally made her convulse, and her breathing was shallow.

('No, please don't cry. You'll make me want to.')

"So, who are these guys?"

"Um, perhaps we should find somewhere to sit down first? I'm tired. We passed a good place just a few paces back."

Quistis looked behind her and saw Sylvie shaking slightly. She couldn't see Ellone's face.

"Good idea." She said swiftly, and followed the rapidly disappearing Selphie.

Best turned to Ellone.

"Be strong." She said, "I will not tolerate seeing my leader show weakness."

Ellone burned with anger immediately and drew herself up straight backed and stone faced.

"Don't worry yourself. You'll get no weakness from me." She growled.

"Good." Replied Best, and to the SeeD's suprise, she laughed. "Very good."

"Hey."

"Aaagh!" Ellone jumped sideways, Rinoa was stood right next to her.

"She's mean. Is she like that all the time? Oh, I'm sorry I scared you. I'm Rinoa."

('She's Rinoa, she's not my mother, She's Rinoa...')

"H-Hi. I'm Ella."

('I can't say Ellone, how would I explain it? 'Oh by the way, I'm your daughter'? She'd be freaked!')

"Nice to meet you. So...who was that mean girl?"

"That was Best. She's not really mean, she's just...uh...kind of...fierce."

"I see...And who are you?" She asked, leaning her head towards Sylvie.

"Sylvie." She answered horsely.

"You sound like you're as tired as I am." Rinoa tossed back her head with a short laugh as she walked. "C'mon, it's not far!" She jogged after Quistis and Selphie.

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The boy finally opened his eyes and stirred, groaning a little. Squall blinked and looked up, he had been watching the small campfire that he had built, but now his attention was fixed on the strange young man. Irvine was asleep, his hat had fallen over his face and he was snoring lightly.

He opened his eyes to see a bright fire, and a man behind it who looked so familliar. His fine face, his floppy hair, his clothes....his scar.

"Squall Leonhart?"


	8. Blood and Tears

Chapter 8:Blood and Tears.

The last chapter was indeed wierd. Chances are, this chapter will be wierder still (I just rewatched 'The Matrix' and decided this fic needs some fighting!) But as well as kickass kung fu and magic action you'll also get Ellone going through super ultra emotional turmoil! Yay! And of course the usual spontanious insane conversation! (Yes, if you haven't guessed I make this fic up as I go along. You think I planned that 'Captain Pink Bunny' conversation? Nope! it just happened!) AND a new character! Yes! The final member of the new six is introduced! I hope you enjoy reading him as much as I enjoy writing him!

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Zell's eyes widened.

"Woah! There's tonnes of them!"

He dropped into a low, wide fighting stance and drew his right hand to his hip ready to unleash a punch. His trainer squeaked slightly as it rubbed on the damp tiles.

The Grendel hissed at him, rounded it's heavy shoulders and pounced. Zell, quick as lightning, shifted his centre of gravity to the side so that the monster missed him by inches, merely fluttering the boy's hair. Then before it could land, his ready fist exploded into a powerful uppercut. There was a crack of breaking bones and hot blood came from the creature's open mouth. Zell brought the hand back and wiped his face, simultaniously slamming his foot into the Grendel's stomach and thowing it into the nearest wall. It landed with a sickly crunch and lay still.

The other waiting monsters looked at Zell, then at the dead Grendel, then back at Zell. Then they ran.

"Ohhhhh yeah!" The young SeeD jumped and did a couple of quick punches at the air. "No problem." He turned around to walk away and froze. There was a man behind him. "Uh, Hi."

"Hmph."

"Heh, I thought I was the only one here. So, uh, who are you?"

The stranger shrugged.

"...Well I'm Zell. Zell Dincht. Pleased to meet you." He held forward a hand to shake, which the other youth ignored.

"Zell Dincht?" He drawled. "I thought you was older."

The young man was tall, but stood slouched. His face, or what could be seen of his face was heavy jawed and bony, his eyes and brow were hidden behind his very thick fringe of black hair, poking out from beneath a woollen beanie hat. His clothes were as thick, heavy and lethargic as he seemed to be, a grey sweatshirt and baggy trousers that dragged on the floor. He wasn't fat, but there was a feeling of weight about him, as if his bones were made of iron, the silvery dark stubble on his craggy chin enhanced the image. He was like a robot from a retro b-movie, big, slow, heavy and unstoppable.

"You've heard of me?" Asked Zell.

"Aye." He said flatly. His accent was thick Timber country farming dialect.

"Cool." There was a long pause which Zell felt obliged to fill. "You know, it's getting dark. We should go find some shelter." He waited a few minutes for some resonse from the young man. "So should we get going?"

"Aye." Answered the man. Then there was another long pause.

"....So, are you coming?"

"Aye." He replied, but showed no sign of moving.

Zell shugged and began to walk. After a few paces he stopped and looked behind him to see the robot like man trudging behind him. He suppressed the urge to laugh, the guy even walked like a robot, his legs were stiff and his footfalls as heavy as falling anvils, he moved slowly at first, gaining momentum as he moved and eventually walking at the same pace as his blonde companion.

"So...what's your name?"

"Tim. Tim Bob."

"Nice to meet you Tin Bot...uh, I mean, Tim Bob." Zell had the feeling that he would have to make a conscious effort not to call his new friend 'Tin Bot.' regardless of how well it suited him. "So, where are you from?"

"La'l farm near Timber."

"Do you work on the farm?"

"Aye. Killin' monsters. Do freelance mercen'ry work an' all."

"Hey, cool. I'm a mercenary too. From Balamb Garden."

"Aye. You'n killed t'sorceress."

"Wow, news travels fast! Guess I'm pretty famous now!"

Zell was looking for somewhere less damp and a bit warmer. But presently he spotted a fire in the distance and a familliar figure close to it.

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"How do you know my name?" Asked Squall quietly.

"It's really you! ...Is this a dream?"

"Who are you?"

"I...I'm not sure, when I was in Garden a little while ago, I was Simeon Rego. But I'm different here. And you're different here too, it's wierd."

"I'm different?"

"Well, where I come from, you're older. But here you look just like on the photographs after you defeated the Sorceress."

"You're from the future?"

"Is this your time?"

"I don't know. It isn't yours?"

"I don't think so, at least, I don't know what this place is. And I think I'm me, but I think I'm in the body of my older self." Simeon watched Squall raise a quizzical eyebrow. "I'm actually fourteen, but here I'm a few years older."

"...I see." Squall covered his forehead for a second, thinking. "Before you fell unconcious, you were in a trance or something, you said you were looking for your sorceress, and that you had failed as a knight. Does that make any sense to you?"

"No, I'm not a knight so far as I know. And the only sorceresses I know are Rinoa and Ellone, I mean, the older Ellone of course."

"The older Ellone?"

"Oh wait! Of course you won't know that! I know two people called Ellone you see, or rather, I know one and I know of another, I've never met sorceress Ellone, but the younger Ellone is...uh your daughter."

"My daughter? ...Guess the name figures." Squall frowned. "What's she like?" He asked, his curiosity aroused.

"Hmm, well, she's clever and quiet, fierce when she's angry, but I think she's a nicer person than she acts sometimes. I saw her smiling when she was with her parents and then I knew..."

"Knew what?"

"..I'm not sure. I guess I just decided I wanted to know more about her."

"Sounds like you have a crush on her." He laughed, then suddenly looked straight up, a thought had just struck him. He had called his sorceress 'Leonhart'.

"And you're sure she's not a sorceress?"

"Not as far as I know. But she is very strong, so perhaps..."

"HEY! SQUALL!" A familiar voice made them turn their heads. Irvine grunted angrily and looked up, then shifted his hat so he could see.

"Darn it Zell, can't you just let a guy sleep?"

"Well I'm glad to see you too Irvine. Geez."

"Zell. Have you seen any of the others?"

"Nope, picked up my friend Tin Bot- Uh, Tim Bob here though." replied Zell, Tim Bob grunted in greeting. "...Who's this guy?"

"I'm Simeon. Pleased to meet you."

"Nice to know somebody is. Pleased to meet you too man." they shook hands. "You Trabian?"

"Yes that's right. From Trabia Garden originally."

"Thought so, you talk like Selphie. So anyway, what should we do about being here?"

"We're staying here for tonight." Said Squall. "We'll continue searching for answers in the morning."

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Ellone sat by herself in a small sheltered corner. She had spent a short time crying, but she was done now and felt better. She watched the moths flitting around the torch she had laid on the floor.

"Um."

She looked up. It was Rinoa.

"Sylvie said you might be hungry." She knelt down with a couple of SeeD ration sticks and a container of water in her hands.

"Thankyou."

"You're a sorceress aren't you?" She said. Ellone wanted to look away, those brown sparkling eyes were too familiar, as was the way they seemed to penetrate into her thoughts.

"Did Sylvie tell you that?"

"Yeah. I'm not psychic or anything." Rinoa laughed. "I've never met another sorceress who wasn't trying to kill me."

"What about Ellone?"

"Ellone's a sorceress? I didn't know." She fiddled with her chain, "how do you know her?"

"I'd rather not talk about it."

"Quistis said you came from the future, but I think she was hiding something from me. I hate when people do that. But I guess it's for my own good right?"

"I think even telling Quistis was a mistake. But she probably would have worked it out anyway. Believe me, you're better off not knowing too much about your own future, even if it's good."

"You sound like somebody who knows."

"Well here I am in the body of my adult self, and I know this is what I'm gonna be like when I grow up, I can't change it, and I can't dream about what I'll be like when I'm older, because I know the truth, I won't be all that different. I'll probably keep on making the same mistakes over and over my whole life."

Rinoa tilted her head a degree. She seemed to empaphise.

"You seem like a nice person to me. It's good to meet a sorceress who isn't crazy or being controlled by a crazy sorceress. Would you...like to be friends?"

Sylvie, watching from the shadows saw Ellone smile. The effect was strange because her mouth was so similar to Rinoa's that they looked like mirror images of each other. Ellone's hair was a little lighter, her eyes were blue, her eyesbrows thinner and straighter and her nose was not so petite. But the resemblance was still striking. Rinoa laughed, breaking the little silent moment.

"Well?"

"Yes. We'll be friends Rinoa."

"Friends forever, even after we're out of here okay?"

"We'll be in different times."

"That doesn't matter! I won't forget, I promise. You can't be from all _that _far into the future if Quistis is your instructor. So unless I'm dead or something then I'll remember and we'll still be friends."

('This is strange, I'm making friends with my mother. She probably won't remember when this is all over. My mother will go off to Timber again and leave me all alone. And I'll just have the memory of Rinoa.')

"You look sad. I will try my best to remember you know?"

"It's not that...It's...nothing."

"You look like Squall when you do that. Oh, I hope we find him, I miss him so much!"

Ellone looked pained and stood up, breaking eye contact.

"I should go back to the others, They'll wonder where I've been."

"Oh, okay." Said Rinoa, puzzled and concerned for her new friend.

Ellone walked a few feet, then stopped in front of a doorway.

"Sylvie. Move out of the way."

"What? How did you know I was here? Did you do that magic sensing thing?"

"No. I just figured you'd be listening in on me, and where else would you stand but right in the doorway?"

"He hee, you're good!"

"You seem more cheerful."

"Well, I feel better now, I did just what you said, and it works. Selphie's a fun person you know."

"I bet she is. I ought to go get aquainted with her."

"Okay, swapsies, I want to talk some more with Rinoa."

('Friend swapping, typical Sylvie, life's all a game.')

Ellone walked to the campfire. The heat coming from it was comforting, as was the presense of her two instructors, though they were strange childish versions of themselves.

"Oh, you're back."

"Hey! I haven't got to know you properly yet! I'm Selphie, nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too." Ellone took a seat on the floor next to Selphie. "Aren't you cold?"

"Not really, have you ever been to Trabia?"

"Yeah, just once. I see what you mean, this place isn't nearly as cold as Trabia garden basketball pitch at night."

"Trabia Garden?! You mean...It's gonna be rebuilt in the future?"

"That's right. They finished it when I was very young, I went to the grand opening. That's when I was in Trabia."

"That is sooo cool! The future's fine with me if Trabia Garden is back. But I don't get why I teach at Balamb not Trabia."

"I'd rather not talk about the future."

"Okay, but I have one question to ask."

"Hmm?"

"Is...Sylvie my daughter?"

"Yes."

Selphie looked unusually serious for a moment and nodded.

"...Is Irvy her father?"

"Yes."

"It's wierd, I don't know if I should be happy or freaked out."

"I think you should be happy. Sylvie's a great person."

Quistis suddenly sat up, she looked as if an idea had just hit her.

('You can almost see the lightbulb above her head, what's she going to say?')

"I've got it! That's how you're different from Squall! You actually answer truthfully when people ask what you think!"

"Hey! Yeah, that's a Rinoa thing!" Said Selphie exitedly, "Only Rinoa says what she thinks even if you don't ask her. But it's still really cool!"

('I don't understand what's so wonderful about it, so I'm honest about my opinions, so what?')

"Rinoa's frankness and Squall's discretion combined in one person. How strange."

"...Do you think Sylvie is like me?"

"She has your eyes."

"No, not like that, I mean, like, her personality and stuff."

"Yeah, she's cheerful, a bit of a dreamer, idealistic and a Romanticist. But she's deep too, much deeper than she seems and really smart too."

"You really respect her don't you?"

"...She's my best friend. It's hard to come out and say it, but she is."

"Well, everything's cool with me then! Hee hee! This is really exiting! I love adventures!"

Something Ellone had written in her letter came back to her. _'It wouldn't be an adventure.' _She looked at her two to be Instructors. ('I wonder, is it possible to inherit personality traits from people who you're not related to?')

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Meanwhile Sylvie was sitting with Rinoa.

"So Ella's your best friend?"

"Yeah, took her seventeen years to say it."

"She's always quiet like that then? I'm glad, I thought she didn't like me."

"If she didn't like you, she wouldn't have bothered to talk at all. It's just Ella, you get used to her. She can be really kind when she wants to be, and when she's nice, you always know she's telling the truth, because she never lies."

"I'm concerned about something...You guys are from the future right?" Asked Rinoa tentatively, "Well, Ella, she's a lot like Squall..."

"I'm sorry Rinoa, I can't tell you that stuff. Please don't make me."

"But-"

"-Ella made me swear I wouldn't tell anybody anything. I'm sure you know what the truth is without asking me." Sylvie stood up and looked away. "I'm sorry."

Rinoa looked at the torch on the floor. She knew what the truth was, she was sure of it. Squall would leave her, Ella was his and Quistis' child wasn't she? That was why they wouldn't tell her. Of course, she couldn't let them know that she knew. She'd have to hope it wasn't the truth and be a friend to Ella as well as she could.


	9. The Twelve

Little Lioness. Chapter9: The Twelve.

I know it took a while but I needed to rest my brain for a while. I had writer's block, coursework and have started a making new webmanga which should go online soon! But I decided it was time I got on with it and continued the story, so here we go.

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Squall was the first awake. Though he was unsure if he was awake, this place was surreal and dreamlike and his fear for Rinoa made it border on nightmare. He watched Simeon, the boy was talking in his sleep and stirring violently. What he was saying was impossible to hear because half of his words were mumbled and he kept trailing off. A particularly loud shout woke up Zell, who had been on watch but had dozed off on seeing Squall awake.

"...He's still talking?"

"Yeah, has been most of the night now."

"Any idea what he's on about?"

"No idea, he just mumbles randomly. I think I heard him say 'Pink Bunny' at one point, it's probably just dreams."

"If it isn't then the future is one freaked up place huh?"

Squall stood quiet. The boy knew his daughter. He hoped his future self was a better parent than his own father had been.

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Not very far away, Selphie was the first awake. She had stirred the embers of the fire and got it blazing again by finding old pieces of furniture as kindling. It had been a hard night, nobody seemed to have slept well, except Genji, who had slept soundly right through.

Sylvie stirred. She had curled up and thrown her blanket off, her fingers were twitching. Selphie had been suprised when she'd heard that the four youths were actually younger than they were here, but now she noticed how childlike they seemed in sleep. She carefully pulled the blanket back over, and tucked it under the girl's body, folding it neatly at the top. Sylvie's eyes flickered and she murmured softly, half asleep.

"Thanks mum."

Selphie jumped backwards a little, suddenly a strange thought came to her. What she had just done, perhaps it was something the future her did very often. She immediately felt very sorry that she had no memories of Sylvie at all, and began to try to make up a picture of the sort of person that she was. It didn't work, there was too little to build a picture on. She looked at the other sleepers, Quistis was actually a very untidy person when asleep, she was always moving, which was odd thinking of what a tidy person she always was when awake. Rinoa always curled up when asleep, and she slept very soundly, Selphie had found that Rinoa could sleep almost anywhere, and at any time, if work needed doing at night, she would happily turn nocturnal, and she never seemed to get jetlag flying around in a spaceship all over the world. Selphie herself could only sleep at night, and she liked to go to bed early and wake up early, unless of course there was a party on, but she was more of a daytime person than a nighttime person.

Quistis woke up. And in her typical fashion got up immediately and began to tidy herself and her bed up too, until she looked so immaculate that few people would have guessed she had only been awake for ten minutes.

"Good morning Selphie."

"Morning Quissy, sleep well?"

"Not too badly considering I was sleeping on the floor. Should we wake the others?"

"Maybe in a little while."

"Rinoa doesn't wake up until you wake her."

"That's true, I wonder if Ellone's the same? Awww, look, she frowns like Squall when she's sleeping."

"Interesting how she sleeps with her hand in the "...whatever" position."

"Hey, yeah she does."

"Do we have any food for brekfast?"

"Ummm, not much. There are mushrooms growing near here though, and steps going down to the sea, maybe there's some fish. And I've seen some birds flying around here, perhaps I could find some eggs. I'm sure I can make something."

"You never cease to suprise me."

"Hee hee," Selphie grinned. "Okay, you stay and look after these guys and I'll go mushroom hunting."

"Are you equipped for fighting? you're more likely to be attacked if you're alone."

Selphie tapped the 'Strange Vision' nunchaku on her back. Quistis nodded and gave a SeeD salute. Selphie saluted back and ran into the ruins.

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Zell's stomach rumbled. Squall glanced over.

"Awww, I'm so hungry! I need food man!"

"I doubt there are any hotdogs here Zell." Replied Squall.

"I'd eat anything right now!"

Squall held out a SeeD ration stick.

"Urk, except that! Those things taste like sawdust! I need real food."

As if to infuriate Zell, a distant voice came through the air, singing.

"Mushroom, mushroom, finding lots of mushrooms, la, la, la, mushy, mushy roooom."

Squall looked at Zell, and Zell looked at Squall.

"Is it just me? or does that sound a hell of a lot like-"

Irvine suddenly jumped up, apparently he hadn't been asleep, just dozing.

"Sephie!" He cried.

Selphie, a little distance away, put the mushroom in her hand into her pocket and looked up.

"Hello?!" She called.

"SEEEELLLLPPPHHHHHIIIIEEEEE!!!!!"

"IRVY!"

Simeon woke up and looked around, he was very confused. Tim Bob continued to sleep, oblivious.

Selphie stumbled through the halls, Irvine sprinted towards her voice and footsteps. Entering a courtyard with a dead fountain and wild ivy they caught sight of each other in opposite doorways. The sniper opened his long arms out wide and smiled, Selphie ran and jumped into him. They embraced tightly.

"Sefie, I've missed you babe." Irvine's large hand touched her bouncy brown hair. Selphie squeezed him and leant her head into his chest.

"I missed you too Irvy." She had missed him even more with her new knowledge of the future. "We're never gonna be apart right?"

"Right!" Irvine felt so sure of it, he didn't know why, he just knew. "We're destined to be together!"

"Awww, ain't that cute." Zell, just awake and looking tousled was stood a little way behind Irvine. "Ya know man, if you don't marry her, I'm gonna kick your-"

"Selphie. You're here." It was hard to tell with Squall sometimes, but Irvine thought he sounded anxious. "Have you seen any of the others?"

"Squall, you're so cute when you're all worried, sure, everybody else is with me, back that way, including Rinoa."

Squall couldn't help but smile with relief.

"Thanks Selphie."

"C'mon you guys! Get packed up and follow me!" Selphie pulled herself away from Irvine and jumped impatiently.

Simeon rubbed his head. Having just woken up, it had taken him some time to remember precisely why he was in a wierd old castle with Squall Leonhart. He began to pack up his things, not that he had much to pack. He nudged Tim Bob until he woke up, though Tim Bob awake wasn't much more lively than Tim Bob asleep. The five young men were ready for travel very quickly, and were soon following Selphie through the corridors.

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"Quissy! Look who I found!"

"Well done Selphie, but I might have preferred some food."

"Hee, I found that too. I've got some mushrooms..." She brought out a very generous number of white button mushrooms from her pockets, "...And some eggs..." She produced a dozen eggs from Irvine's hat, which he was holding in front of him, "...And some fish." Zell dropped the makeshift net he had made from twine to reveal four moderately sized fish, "...And I found some blackberries too, lots of them, this place is full of brambles!" Everybody empties their pockets to show a massive number of berries.

"...How?" gasped Quistis

"Well, when you have five strapping guys with you it's not too hard. Took no time at all!"

Squall had ceased to listen to the women talking, somebody had caught his eye. She walked quietly over and knelt by Rinoa.

"Time to wake up princess." His leather glove touched her cheek.

"You're never gonna wake Rinoa being that subtle."

The noise of talking had woken Ellone. She squinted in the morning light and turned her head. She blinked. There was a young man kneeling by Rinoa. She sat up instantly thinking something bad was happening. The sound of her movement made the man look up at her.

Their identical blue eyes met. She knew that scar anywhere, but on her father it was a fine pink line, on this femenine looking young stranger it was a deep red gash. The little girl inside her suddenly wanted her daddy very much.

"Ya know," said Irvine to Selphie, "Simeon told me that in the future we...uh." He inhaled and rubbed the back of his neck.

Selphie giggled and held his hand. She guided him over to Sylvie, who was half awake and blinking. Sylvie stood up and looked at Irvine.

"Hi." She said quietly.

"Y-you're...this is...me and Selphie's...hoo boy."

"I'm Sylvie Kinneas, pleased to meet you."

"So, you're my little girl huh? Or my rather big girl, how tall are you anyway?"

"I'm six foot one." She answered, she had folded her arms in an attempt to stop herself from trembling, she was quite relieved to see that Irvine was shaking too, his normally very steady hands were visibly twitching by his sides. She smiled, trying to hide her emotion.

"You have Selphie's cute smile. I never thought of myself as a dad, can't imagine it, I don't remember my father."

Irvine's smooth Galbadian accented speech had a calming effect on Sylvie, he was closer to the man she knew as her father than Selphie seemed to her mother.

"You'll be a great dad. Not many girls have a cowboy gunman to tell them bedtime stories." She lifted his hat and placed it onto her own head as she had so often done in childhood.

Ellone and Squall were still staring at each other.

"You must be Ellone Leonhart."

She nodded. Looking up she noticed a very quiet young man stood away from most of the group. They made eye contact and both blushed. They had both felt something strange, like a bond pulling between them that had been there before they'd met, but was suddenly obviously there. Ellone looked back at the spiky haired young man and found herself unable to remove her gaze. She stood up slowly and walked, drawn towards him as he was to her. They stopped half a meter from each other.

"...Sorceress?" Asked Simeon.

"...Knight?" Ellone lifted a hand and they let their fingers meet. A shock of something passed between them. They both knew they were sorceress and knight, they both knew it was love and suddenly, frighteningly they both realised each other's identities.

"Simeon!"

"Ellone!?"

They leapt apart like pole to pole magnets.

"You're my knight!?"

"I'm your knight! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!"

"What are you appologising for!?"

"I don't know! But you know, I, um, ahhh. I'm your knight...And you're really, really beautiful by the way, and...oh god why can't I just stop talking?"

('Ack! What do I do!? He thinks I'm beautiful, and I have the wierd feeling that I'm in love with him.')

"I don't understand how we ended up as...Wait, this is something the future me did right? You don't have a letter in your pocket do you?"

"A letter? ...Oh, hey, yeah I do...Two letters. I didn't know. This one's written by me, and this one isn't my writing, feels like there's something inside the envelope."

"That's my writing." Gasped Ellone. ('Why does he have it?')

"Woo! More letters!" Sylvie was looking over Ellone's shoulder. Everybody who was awake had now crowded around, including Best, who was belting on her armoury piece by piece over her bodysuit.

_A second letter to myself, Ellone Leonhart._

_You've found your knight. Well done. He talks too much when he's nervous, but he's the sweetest guy, and the most chivalrous knight you could wish for. I know you've never really felt love before, not like this, just don't feel you have to fight it okay?_

('I'm beginning to hate the future me.')

_You're all together now, so I guess I can brief you further. This is all Odine's fault._

('That little arse, I'm gonna kill him.')

_But don't blame him too much, you have to do the task you've been given to get home. There's something here that you need to do, Odine chose you because of something you're going to do in the future, something that makes you and your friends not so different from your father and his friends. He also chose to bring your parents, at the peak of their fighting powers to help._

('Oh, "help" is it? Well, I could've sworn the reason for bringing them was more to "screw with our heads" than to "help".')

_There's somebody here he wants eliminating. That's all you have to do. Don't worry, you don't have to kill them, just knock them out and everybody will be chucked out of compressed time._

_Don't worry._

_-You._

"I hate me." Muttered Ellone.

"That's a bit harsh." Said Quistis.

"I haven't even left instructions on who I'm meant to defeat! What's with this? I tell myself not to worry and to have fun, but never what I'm meant to do!"

"Perhaps the future you knows that you'll work it out yourself, in fact, she must remember doing it when she was you, so she knows you will."

Ellone scowled and sat down. There was a lump in the envelope, something solid. She pulled it out. It looked like a small electronic device, but she didn't know what it was. There was a button on the side.

"Press the button." Said Best.

"It might be dangerous."

"It isn't, it's an Estharian recording device."

Ellone pressed the button, gingerly.

[I'm gonna end this chapter here, because it's a good place to stop, and I need to get a chapter online as I've been taking ages, I just ran into plot problems. By the way, my new webcomic, 'Anglomanga' is online at and my old comic 'stereo'ed' as well. Check them out if you want.]


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